Winter's Illusions
by kayla.raechel
Summary: Skadi the goddess of winter is a half breed Jotun who finds herself caught on the path of fate that brings her face to face with the god of mischief. And that handsome devil himself though repulsed by her Jotun half soon starts to find that he feels more normal with her than he's ever felt in his entire life. (Begins before and during Thor)
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: For those who are about to read my story, I first recommend you go and read up a bit on the Jotun Skadi as she is of course the main character and some parts may not make sense without background knowledge first. However, for the purpose of my story I will be changing many aspects of the Norse Mythology surrounding Skadi (Particularly the part where she marries Odin- and also about Loki and the goat- trust me you don't want to know) and all other characters following.**

**With Loki and the movies he is in: This story starts before all movies but may feature some references to them, I will alert you guys should my story include spoilers for Thor 2**

**With that out the way, please enjoy my story and leave comments or notes if there is anything you want to ask or tell me **

Chapter 1: Skadi of Jotunheim

I was born in a palace called Pyrmheim, one of several that used to stand in the Realm of the giants; Jotunheim. My father Lord Thiazzi, a frost giant and my mother, a mortal of Midgard called Ida met during one of the great Jotun wars that waged on Earth. He told me it was love through which I was conceived, that when he saw her for the first time he was so captivated by her beauty that he protected her from the other frost giants as they destroyed her village and my mother, left without a home or family travelled to Jotunheim disguised by my father's illusions to live with him. My father as well as any other frost giant could shape shift. For Ida he turned himself into the form of a Midgardian, determined to win her over as he had already fallen for her. Eventually she too fell for my father and thus came to be pregnant with me. However my mother was weak, her mortal body could not stand the harsh temperatures of Jotunheim and she fell ill often. She died during childbirth as her immune system could not fight off the cold and repair her body at the same time. My father though devastated by his loss, vowed that he would raise me as any Midgardian man would his daughter. And he did. Shortly after my birth the Jotun wars came to an end with the Asgardian King taking away the frost giants power: the Casket of Ancient Winters, from King Laufey. Jotun feel into chaos and became overridden by the terrain and its beasts. My father took this as a sign and defected from society. His palace halls grew empty but became a solace where he could raise me away from the dangers of the giants who would only view me as an abomination. He was solely devoted to protecting me as he could not protect my mother. He wore both forms, Jotun and Migardian while I was growing up and he taught me that whichever form I chose, I was perfect and beautiful to him and that was all that mattered. I learnt to shape shift from him. I could turn my fair skin blue with jaggered edges, my eyes could cloud over red and I could grow sharp teeth and claws but despite my attempts, my small frame would not grow taller. I would never be able to walk among Jotuns as a true frost giant. However much to my father's surprise, I developed a control over the power of winter. I could make it snow or hail or rain or even create blizzards. I could create ice like shards of blades that I could shoot from my hands or simply make anything become encased in ice by moving my hands over it. My father taught me to control these newfound powers as they developed but he was fearful of what others might do if they knew I had power enough to rival the Ancient Winters and so he kept me locked away for thousands of years until time itself caught up with us.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The beast and the beginning

"Wargo slow down!" I shouted against the wind and cussed as the endless sheet of white obscured my vision for the up tenth time. "It's not winning if you cheat!" Ahead of me a large white figure darted in and out among the trees, zipping closer and closer to the target.

"Blast!" I cried seeing my opportunity slip away even as I hurtled closer, gaining on him. My figure was bent low, my feet shoulder distance apart, strapped to a pair of skis made of hard ice heading down a steep mountain in a race I'd been foolish to suggest in the first place.

But I still had one advantage that I'd had yet to use, one that definitely could not be called cheating.

Bracing myself I rose up from my stance, still maneuvering myself through the zig-zagging maze of trees. I unstrapped my bow from my back and slipped a single arrow out of the quiver slung over my shoulders. Raising the bow with my left hand and notching the arrow with my right I took aim down the mountain.

It took a toll on my concentration to ski though the trees while training my arrow for the right moment. A misjudged turn put me off balance to the left slightly and a low hanging branch caught me unawares across my cheek.

I exhaled sharply but managed to correct my movements with a small pivot. Calming my pounding heart I checked my aim. _Damn, _I thought. It was going to be close. And with that I saw my opening. A split millisecond in time. If I had hesitated I would have missed it. But I had sharp reflexes and the arrow had already left my hands.

It made a short whistling sound and I was rewarded with a loud 'thunk' as it burrowed itself in a tree, along with the make shift blue flag Wargo had been carrying only a split second before.

I grinned triumphantly as he voiced his displeasure with a loud roar and had to slam down on the slick mountain snow to stop and return to retrieve it.

But by then it was already over. I flashed past the tree and ripped the flag off with the arrow, skimming past Wargo and scattering a snow fall in my wake over him. He made a move to follow, but I still had my speed and I returned to my bent position to gain more. Up ahead was the finish line, the bottom of the mountain where the trees ended and a glacier began. I breezed up to it easily before my competitor could even shake the snow from him.

I crossed through the tree line and whipped my skis around to bring me to a halt.

"Hah hah!" I yelled, "take that you-" my victorious speech was cut off as I was knocked over.

"Oof!" The air rushed out of my lungs as a two hundred pound Jotun Wolf landed upon me and pinned me to the ground by my shoulders. Large sharp teeth slashed in my face as the creature growled. Two glowing red eyes glared down at me.

I coughed, trying to catch my breath and then slackened beneath the wolf. My body began to shake involuntarily. "Sorry!" I gasped and then laughed up at the wolf. "But you should really learn to not cheat my friend!"

Wargo let out another mock growl which turned into a husky laugh as he began licking my face while I was down.

"Okay, okay!" I cried and pushed at his chest, "We'll call it a tie, now get off me!"

Wargo rubbed his huge head across my cheek affectionately. He let me push him away climbing off me only to nudge at me impatiently to get up.

"You're the one that pushed me down, remember?" I laughed and pulled myself into a sitting position to remove my skis. Wargo huffed but sat back on his hind legs to watch me. I placed my hands on the ice encasing my booted feet and it cracked into small shards, shattering all the way up the length of the skis until no trace remained that I had ever worn them at all.

I then rose and brushed the snow off my brown leather and fur garb and picked up my bow and the arrow with the flag which I had dropped during Wargo's attack. The arrow was slipped into the quiver and I slung the bow back over my shoulder.

"We best return, Wargo. I suspect we may have been out too long and my father might start getting worried soon." Wargo stood and bent down to allowed me to jump onto his back. But then I stiffened as a hard rumble echoed across the glacier behind us. An almighty roar followed it that put Wargo's growls to shame. Wargo tensed down and flattened his ears.

"Run!" I gasped. He turned back towards the trees and took off as a dark shape crashed through the trees several hundred meters to our right and spied us. I made out its ridged form. A frost beast with a gnarled dark grey, ugly face, sharp teeth protruding its upper lip, four large curled claws on each of its feet and a long spiked tail. It was huge, smaller than a fully grown frost beast but still no less hulking.

The beast took chase as soon as it spotted us, looking as though it wanted us for dinner. I was caught off guard by its presence. Although they weren't common they did often inhabit this part of Jotun but not during this time of the suns cycle. During this time they lived nearer to the High Kingdom of Jotun and were Laufey's creatures.

Wargo bounded back into the shelter of the forest but I doubted that that would stop the beast and it didn't. The sound of trees breaking under its feet was quick to follow us.

"Oh Aegir, its fast!" I cried as I turned to watch it smash through the trees close on our tail. It roared again angrily as it swiped trunks over with its claws like it was cutting through snow.

Wargo hunkered down and put on a burst of speed and started dashing through the brush trying to shake the monster. I had to duck to avoid low hang branches that were snagging in my hair and clipping my face. It worked somewhat. The sudden change in directions confused it and slowed it down each time it had to turn. But he kept his large eyes on us the whole time.

"We have to lose the beast." I told Wargo. "Find us somewhere to hide!" Wargo grunted in acknowledgement, continuing his tireless escape.

"I'll try slow him down. Don't drop me, okay." I gripped Wargo's white fur behind me and started to turn myself around until I was seated backwards. I pulled my bow off my back and shakily notched an arrow to aim at the frost beast.

It roared loudly as I let lose the first one which embedded itself in one of its front legs, not at all where I had been aiming for.

I tried again this time aiming higher and more centre and shot it into one of the beast eyes. It let out a shrieking roar of pain but if anything only ran faster, angrier this time.

I cried out, "Wargo!"

The Jotun wolf whimpered making a sudden pounce over a fallen tree. I gasped, unprepared and watched in slow motion as I was unseated from him and fell hard onto the damp forest floor dropping my bow as my quiver jabbed into my back knocking the air from my lungs.

The frost beasts footfalls stopped over me, shaking the ground with the momentum and he leaned in to roar, baring several rows of jagged teeth, a broken arrow shaft protruded from one eye which was leaking dark black blood.

Wargo was over me in an instant, his hackles raised and his ears flat back. He roared back at the monster.

The beast stood back on its hind legs and swiped one giant paw at Wargo, throwing him back into a nearby tree with a yelp.

"Wargo!" I cried, still catching my breath and clambered to my feet. The beast's attention was back on me and I was backing up trying to put as much room between me and it. I spied my bow across the beast-made clearing but I would not be able to get to it before the thing got me.

The beast started to come towards me but growled out when Wargo jumped up and latched his large teeth onto its already injured leg.

It lifted its leg with Wargo attached and shook it wildly. The monster bellowed again as it tried to detach the wolf but Wargo held on with his claws.

I watched wide eyed but had regained my wits as an idea sprung to me and I almost berated myself for not thinking of it sooner. I licked my dry lips and planted my feet squarely to hold my balance.

"Hey ugly!" I hollered as the creature swung around still shaking, "Catch!" Energy shot through my arms as I formed large icicle shards at my feet and then propelled them up at the monster. Several stabbed the beast in the chest but not deeply enough to fatally wound him. I needed something sharper and faster.

Wargo let the beast go as it staggered back and he bounded over to my side.

"Keep distracting him!" I told him as I readied myself to run.

Wargo pounced again this time at the beast's face and started clawing at its eyes. With it stunned by the wolf's attack I jumped over the debris and ran for my bow skidding into a crouch as I snatched it up. I reached behind for an arrow, only one was left. I inhaled harshly and exhaled then notched the arrow.

I felt energy trickle over my body as I let my Jotun self be unleashed. My touch caused frost to steal over my bow and arrow, hardening them and I willed the tip to be sharper and wider.

Wargo pushed himself off the beast's face but stayed before him and barked. The beast rose on its hind legs as if to stomp on Wargo and that was when I let go.

My arrow shot true and straight hitting the frost beast right in the middle of its neck before exiting and disappearing into the forest. It let out a strangled cry and clawed at its neck as air escaped its lungs. Its huge body shuddered and twitched several times and then it fell, face first into the ground with a crash making the ground shake again.

I braced myself as the impact rolled under my feet, sending snow and splinters of wood up as projectiles. I threw my hand up over my face to protect my eyes and took a step back. The rumbling stopped as quickly as it had started and then everything was still and eerily quiet.

My arm drooped back down to my side. I was panting like I'd just run a race, my heart thundering in my chest so much it was starting to hurt. I dropped my bow to the ground and bent over my knees. My Jotun form melted away leaving my skin fair and soft once more.

Wargo limped over to my side, seeing he could now touch me again and nudged me with his head in a sign of comfort.

I wrapped my arm around his big neck in a hug. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his body but held out one of his back legs for me to inspect. I let go of him to grab his paw and slid my fingers along his bones and through his shaggy fur but found only a few bruises which would heal over fine by themselves.

I then looked down at myself. My clothes had small nicks in them and stray twigs and snow had been caught in the fur lining. The worst injury I had suffered was a cut to my upper arm but other than that I was fine.

I chuckled, "Only a few bumps and bruises to show for ourselves? Not the battle scars we were hoping for at all."

I felt Wargo's body vibrate as he huffed out like he was laughing. He dropped his foot so he could rub his body along my side, pleased we were both okay.

"What was that creature doing out here anyway." I mused ruffling his fur.

Wargo shook his body re-aligning his fur and wandered over to the corpse. I followed behind after re-shouldering my bow.

The body had already leaked a large puddle of sticky blood which seeped into the white snow around him. I started a slow circle around him but stopped almost immediately when I noticed a marking on its right shoulder. I moved forward to get a closer look and froze. The blood drained from my face. I knew that mark. It was King Laufey's symbol, an ancient mark that only the King's property such as servants- or in this case frost beasts- wore.

"We have to get out of here." I straightened and Wargo came to my side, "Now!" I climbed onto his back and we sprinted away from the frost beast heading as far from it as we could.

It was nightfall when the men found it. An ice encrusted arrow, tip deep in the snow covered ground and several hundred meters away, the body of a frost beast, slain by a wound to the neck.

"It is just as the prophetess said." One of the men ground out. "It's begun."

"Laufey must know of this." Another said.

"He will." A deeper voice rasped, "Once we have completed our tasks." The others turned to face their commander whose blood red eyes glistened in the darkness. "First there is someone we need to pay a little visit to."

**Authors note: OMG Much support, so appreciated, very awesome! Okay anyway, I know Jotunheim is meant to be a barren wasteland but I decided I needed something to work with so yeah, trees :/- Pyrmheim is a section- like a country of Jotunheim that's usually less cold and is also in the middle of their summer.**

**So this is technically the first chapter. I thought I would introduce Skadi a bit without giving an idea of her physical features- that will come later- but just to introduce her as she is in Norse Mythology was what I wanted to do. Also you may or may not be wondering about Wargo- he is a warg (look it up)- a larger than life wolf with glowing eyes and of course you have already met the frost beasts in Thor and (spoiler) again in Thor 2. **

**P.S. Don't worry Loki will appear soon I promise!**

**Anyway! Leave me a comment with your first thoughts and notes, etc and also favourite and follow this story, if you like it then I need your support to continue **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Visitors

When Wargo and I returned home father was nowhere to be found though I suspected he was still out hunting as he usually did during this time of the moons cycle. He hunted to the south of the castle far from where we had slain the frost beast but nevertheless I was worried that my actions this day would bring him harm.

He oft did not return from his hunting trips until late into the night and although I wanted to await his return I found that I was weary. The frost beast had tired me out and try as I might I could no longer stay awake.

I let Wargo back out of the castle and he took off into the forest after one last lick of my face. He was not a pet. He belonged to a neighbouring Jotun wolf pack and I was merely a friend whom he had come to trust and hunt with.

With that I returned to my chambers and dressed for bed. I was asleep seconds after my head hit the pillow. Misty shapes and sounds shrouded my dreams…..

…_.."Why have you brought the stench of your blood into our world?" a voice like a cavern of ice cracking lifts through the veil._

"_I demand answers!" another voice, bold and proud replies. _

_I see a tall and menacing figure stand. "You demand?" the first voice growls._

_A shorter but no less brawny figure steps forward, "How did your people get into Asgard?"_

_The other man laughs cold and humourlessly, "The house of Odinson is full of traitors."_

_The shorter man is angered by this. "Do not dishonour my father's name with your lies!"_

"_Your father is a murderer and a thief." The giant bares his yellowed teeth, "He stole what was ours and left our world in ruins. We have the right to reclaim the casket." _

_The scene cuts out and is replaced with another._

_A dark figure stands cloaked by darkness in a large chamber. "What am I?" his voice is soft and yet holds a hint of danger._

"_You are my son." A man answers from across the hall. His voice carries a burden I cannot place._

_The figure turns but all I can see is darkness. "What more than that?" Silence follows as realization dawns. "The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day was it?"_

"_No-"_

"Skadi, wake up child hurry!" A voice rumbled, cutting through my dreams, erasing them from my memories. I gasped and bolted upright. My dreams had evaporated leaving me with only a feeling of betrayal.

I looked up. A blue frost giant form was bent over me, "Father?" I glanced up at him, "What's going on? What is the hour?"

My father threw the sheets of the bed and pulled me from it, "There's no time daughter, quickly get dressed, we must leave!" He dumped a handful of my clothes into my arms. "Hurry! Be dressed by the time I get back, there is something I must go get." He ran from the room leaving me dumbfounded and panicked.

I hastily did as he said, donning pants and a tunic and a light fur cloak with my boots and gloves. I had just finished tying my hair back when he returned holding a small red box beneath one arm. His other arm had elongated into a razor sharp ice blade.

"Here take this." He handed the box over to me before extending ice over his now free hand.

I took the box and tucked it into a satchel which I shouldered.

"Daddy what's going on?" I asked nervously.

He strode to the door and held it open. "We've got company." Was all he said.

Suddenly the dead frost beast swam to mind and I felt a trickle of guilt fill the pit of my stomach as I exited my room.

My father led me down the hall way and into the main passageway. I was surprised when we then entered the kitchen and my father pulled a matted fur rug off the ice floor revealing a large trap door.

"Is that?" I asked as he opened it up.

"Servants tunnels. When I had servants that is." He gestured for me to descend the stairs when a crash sounded from nearby. And voices grew nearer.

"Thiazzi! Show yourself!" A grave voice called out.

My father turned to me. "Go!" He whispered.

"What about you!" I cried back.

Before I knew what had happened he had pushed me into the hole in the floor and I fell with a thud. I was on my feet in seconds though looking up at my father from the gloom. "Father!?"

He knelt down. "Find Wargo and tell him to take you as far away from here as possible. I'll meet up with you as soon as I can!"

"No, father!-" He cut me off as he shut the door. I heard him slide the mat back over it, blocking out all the light and then leave the room.

I let out a sad sob of fear but swallowed back my emotions quickly. He was right I had to go. All my life my father had sought to protect me from danger. He had given up his own life for me. I could not let it be a waste.

With blind eyes I began to fumble my way down the passage using only my hands as a guide, running them over the walls to keep my balance.

The entire castle was created from solid ice that never melted nor was damp, rather it was as smooth as glass with an odd blue sheen which made it absolutely stunning and it also made it glow faintly. After my eyes had come to adapt to the darkness I could see the blue glow, though dim in this long unused passage, still shone eerily. It made walking in an unfamiliar place much simpler.

The passage ways under the castle were a series of channels that led to what seemed to be the servant's quarters, but also to other rooms within the palace and as luck would have it, out into the surrounding grounds of the castle.

However, the particular exit I chose was frozen over solid after thousands of years of discontinued use and after trying to shove the door above my head open by sheer force without luck, I resorted to placing my hands on it and slowly cracking though the thick ice.

It took a while, the ice had had eons to build up and my efforts were draining me of my energy. Slowly, the ice cracked into smaller shards that I then evaporated into snow, which in turn cascaded over me. And then with one last final push the last of the ice cracked and I pushed up into the frigid air.

I found myself in the west grounds near the edge of the forest Wargo and I had ventured through only a few hours before. Although it was dark, I found that the endless sleet of ice that covered Jotunheim helped create and illuminate hue lighting my way to the trees.

I cast one more look back at the castle and let out a reluctant sigh before turning on my heel and running into the forest.

Almost subconsciously I found myself heading in the direction where Wargo and I usually met though I knew he wouldn't be there waiting. I followed a frozen river trail that led towards the far mountains of Pyrmheim. The river itself stretched across a great expanse of Jotunheim though as far as I was aware it had never flowed water.

I was not sure how long I was running for but I knew that my haste was the only advantage I had should the invaders come looking for me. Eventually I reached the meeting point. A waterfall frozen solid on the face of the mountain ranges, just on the outskirts of Wargo's wolf pack territory.

I removed both of my gloves from my hands and threw them in my satchel and then lifted my fingers to my lips and whistled out a call, two short blows and one long. The sound echoed up the mountain and I silently prayed to Aegir that whoever had invaded the palace was too far away to hear it.

But only silence followed my call. I paced up and down along the edge of the river bed, once, twice, five times. Then looked around me, nothing. I was starting to panic. My body was numb with fear, for my father, for myself and even for Wargo. Did he normally take this long to arrive?

I lifted my fingers to my mouth again when I heard a 'snap' to my right. I whirled towards the sound and started backing up to the river edge as the sound was joined by a rustle and then padded footsteps unsettling the snow. Too many to just be Wargo and yet….

"Wargo!" I cried with relief as he emerged from the shadows, his white fur catching the light as he bounded over to inspect me apprehensively.

I threw my arms around his neck tightly, "Oh, my friend I was so worried. There are men, invaders! My father told me to flee the palace and find you, please take me as far from here as you can!"

Wargo grunted and turned back towards the trees as more white shapes emerged.

"Oh!" I breathed, that's why you took so long." Ten beautiful Jotun wolves came into view, four that I recognized from Wargo's pack. They were each as large as Wargo and they were all tense. On the lookout for danger, as I suspected Wargo had got the message, so had they.

Suddenly I was no longer afraid and I no longer felt like running. "We have to do something. My father- he said he'd come for me but he's out numbered."

Wargo turned to offer his back and gave me a pointed look as if to say 'not for long.'

I grinned and jumped astride him, settling myself securely with two handfuls of his fur. Then the Jotun wolves took off into the forest.

Thiazzi's POV

The commander leered down at me with his beady eyes daring me to get back up again. A long jagged cut was oozing blood down his neck giving me a sliver of satisfaction. "You never quit do you? Bastard!" He spat.

I glared up at the frost giant called Hajani, King Laufey's right hand man, the man that did all the dirty work for a King too lazy to do it himself.

"And you never learn when to give up taking orders from a man that sits on a throne of lies!" I ground out, gritting my teeth against the pain in my body and against the pain I was about to receive.

One of Hajani's thugs kicked me hard in the ribs with an ice armoured foot. I coughed out a mouthful of blood onto the already blood-stained floor.

"Now," Hanjani motioned my attacker back and then bent down over me. "I'm only going to ask once more you low life. Tell me what you know about the prophecy and perhaps I will spare you."

I laughed once, "yeah, right-" another kick this time to my head.

"Enough!" Hajani commanded, "Let him have his last words if that is to be his wish."

I pushed myself up slowly and painfully into a sitting position, groaning with the effort. "All I know" I panted, "is that Laufey's days are numbered. Soon the rightful ruler of Jotun will take their place."

Hajani gritted his teeth and I watched as his ice armour grew to arms and a blade was formed that would be the end of my existence when-

"Sir! We found something!" Another frost giant entered the hall where I had fallen and held up an object for the commander to see. Hajani's armour withdrew as he watched the new comer approach.

Hajani took it and lifted it up to the light. It was one of Skadi's quivers, stocked with arrows. Hajani handed it back to his man but pulled an arrow from it and inspected it with an eager grin forming on his face. "Where did you get this?"

"In one of the rooms down the hall, and Sir, it didn't appear to be the room of a prisoner."

Hajani turned back to me, his cruel smile not once dropping. "The abomination is yours!" His gravelly voice was full of malicious intent. "My, my! We expected treachery of you Thiazzi, even treason, but I didn't think you would stoop so low as to lay with a woman of an inferior race! It might be laughable if I wasn't so disgusted by you!"

He strode forward and thrust the arrow in my face. "Where is the girl?"

My eyes lifted to his. "How long have you known about her?"

Hajani sneered, "It matters not how long. What matters now is that you tell us where she is!"

"Never." I spat at him, flecks of my blood hit his face with my promise.

The commander wiped the blood from his chin with his spare hand and then grinned again. "Very well." His arm was once again encased with ice which formed his blade and he stood over me victoriously. "If you won't speak for me, then perhaps you will bleed for me."

He raised his arm above his head just as a Jotun wolf flew into the room and latched itself onto the nearest frost giant. Another was quick to follow, bounding over the fallen giant and wrapped its jaws around Hajani's sword arm who roared in pain. In seconds the hall was chaos as half a dozen more Jotun wolves descended on the frost giants out numbering them 2-1.

"Father!" Skadi cried as she entered the room aside her wolf companion. They navigated around the battle to me.

"No, daughter!" I groaned sitting up. "You should not have returned!"

She jumped down from Wargo and ran to me. "I had to! I could not leave you here to die!"

I chuckled internally, _my brave but foolish and stubborn girl. _"You must leave."

She grabbed my arm and tugged. "Not without you this time. We can make it, while they're distracted."

"I let her 'pull' me up to my towering height though I was hunched over to avoid unnecessary pain from my injuries. "Now get back on that wolf and fly child!" I scolded her.

She nodded, finally listening for once and climbed back onto Wargo. Two more wolves joined us to fend off any unseen attackers as I half-limped, half-ran from the hall and followed Skadi- who was keeping a close eye on me- out of the castle.

We made it halfway to the forest edge when a shout came from behind as Hajani had managed to fight off the Jotun wolves long enough to make it to the entranceway. He still had a wolf clawing at his back but he would soon start making ground.

"Go!" I shouted at Skadi who looked back, most likely to berate me for leaving her again, "Don't worry, I'm right behind you."

"Where?" She asked.

I pointed north-east, away from the forest and out to the open plains as a plan formed in my head, "The crater site." She furrowed her brow but said nothing as we picked up the pace. I hoped she trusted me.

We raced across the ice packed ground, Skadi on four feet and me on two unsteady ones. I was fast in my Jotun form, even wounded, but with Hajani hot on our tail I feared we would not make it far.

As we ran I kept one eye on Hajani and his men- man- who had made it out of the castle but no wolves were left to hinder them. I hoped they were only injured. We ran for what must have been just short of a mile when the crater appeared in our line of vision but by then Hajani and his croonie would be too close for comfort.

"Wargo!" I called ahead, "Do you think your brother's could help hold them off."

Wargo snarled and snapped at the wolves on his heels that peeled off to turn around and run back past me. I snuck a look over my shoulder as they pounced into battle. One took down the other giant but Hajani merely swiped the second wolf out of his path and continued his chase.

"Give up Thiazzi! You've got nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!" The brute called from afar.

"Keep going!" I urged Skadi. We were nearing the last few hundred meters between us and the crater and now it was time for the moment of truth. I prayed my plan paid off.

If anything Wargo put on more pace trying to make the last stretch count. But I was exhausted and I was only slipping behind.

Skadi and Wargo made the distance quickly and landed in the ditch of the crater where a circle of runes was forever seared into the ground. They turned to watch me catch up.

Looking up to the heavens I yelled, "Heimdall! Please listen to me." As I cleared the crater and met Skadi in the middle I let my human illusion warp over me and Skadi threw me a puzzled glance.

I addressed the sky once more. "If you have been watching over my daughter as I believe you have all these years then hopefully you will hear my plea and protect her."

"Father, who are you talking to?" Skadi asked slipping from Wargo.

I ignored her and continued scanning the sky. "Heimdall, please, there isn't much time, she is important not only to me but To Jotunheim and to Asgard! You should know as much!" Finally the words hit home and a shimmer of green and pink aura began to light the night sky.

Skadi looked up as it appeared, "Heimdall? As in-" she turned back to me and her eyes widened almost in surprise, "Father! Look out!"

I morphed back into my Jotun form and turned just as Hajani jumped from above wielding his ice blade. I was quick to armour up, but not quick enough.

Hajani's blade cut through my chest like it was made of parchment spreading the heat of pain and agony through me like a wild fire. I howled out as I hit the crater floor. The sounds of my daughters tortured cries slashed through the growing din and my eyes rolled back to see the world be lit with brilliant cosmic rays. Skadi fell over me as a circle of light shot from the sky aligning with the crater.

I was dimly aware of Hajani being thrown back by the blast and then we were being swept up into the universe.

**Author's note: Arrrggghh, cliffhanger, sorry! So yeah that happened. Obviously anything could happen from here so don't jump to conclusions, or do? IDK, either way the next chapter will be a bit intense- not that this one wasn't- BUT! I will be including Loki for sure in the next chapter so stick around- follow or favourite to get updates on when the next chapter is up and review if you have anything you want to add. Also I just want to celebrate a bit for 100 views! That is incredible to have had that interest already so thanks guys for your support so far! KR**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The God of Lies speaks the hard truths

"Father!" I screamed as the night exploded into colour. I stumbled forward in shock and threw myself down as the light concentrated on the circle of the crater and fell, as if solid, blasting the frost giant backwards. I looked up, blinded as Wargo, my father and I were stretched and pulled up into the maelstrom. My body churned with vertigo as we were yanked from the surface of Jotunheim and into a glorious vortex. I gasped and watched the rays of light pulsing past us as we entered the skies and shot onwards into space. We spent but mere moments in the portal and yet it felt an eternity as I watched the only home I had ever known disappear as another realm rushed closer until we stopped completely.

We hit the golden floor hard and the breath was knocked from my lungs. I landed on my back next to my father while Wargo rolled into a raised platform releasing a startled 'yip'.

I was on my knees straight away, ignoring the pressure on my chest. Crawling on my hands and knees I went to my father's side. "Father!"

My father's body was a mess. Dark purple bruises tainted his blue skin like large welts and he had several deep scars that I could hardly bring myself to imagine how he'd got them. But my eyes were fixated on the huge gaping wound in his chest that had already created a pool of blood around him.

"Skadi…" my father rasped and held his large hand up to cup my face, "you are safe now."

I gripped his hand over my cheek with my miniscule one and placed my other on his torso. "Don't you dare say goodbye! It's going to be okay, we're going to be fine, I'll get help, I-" My head shot up as I finally noticed the stranger standing in the domed room with us.

He was a huge man but not a frost giant at all. His skin was dark and rich that contrasted starkly against his golden armour and curved helmet. He stared down at us with strange gold eyes that looked as if they were staring straight through us. As I looked upon him, he pulled a great polished sword from the pedestal on which he stood and stepped forward.

In an instant I was crouched over father and my Jotun form had materialised, creating frost around me. I bared my teeth at him and hissed, pinning him with my red eyed glare. Wargo followed my lead and dropped into formation on the other side of my father, ready to pounce.

The golden man's mouth seemed to twitch up ever so slightly at the corners but he came no closer. "Have no fear, Skadi of Jotunheim and Wargo of the Pyrmheim wolf pack." Wargo growled at his mention. The man ignored him "I mean you no harm, nor your father, Thiazzi, for that matter." His voice was deep and I felt as though I was listening to several voices speaking in unison. When I did not move from my defensive position he continued. "I have already sent for a healer and they are already on their way… as well as my king and his sons. As I am bound to protect him and his people, I must ask that you stand down. We will not hurt you so long as you don't threaten the safety of these borders."

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"I am Heimdall, the Guardian of the Nine Worlds and the Gatekeeper of this realm." He replied as he set the tip of his sword upon the floor and balanced it beneath both hands.

I wet my lips nervously. I needed confirmation for what I already suspected. "Which realm? Where are we?"

"Asgard."

My body started to shake and white noise filled my ears. Though my father had taught me to love all races and species against my Jotuns nature, I could not help but feel as though I was trapped, and rightly so, in the arms of my realm's sworn enemies. Peace had been non-existent between the Jotuns and the Asgardians for a few millenniums. Perhaps Heimdall meant his word when he said he would not harm us, but that would not stop others from doing so.

Why had my father brought us here, knowing that by doing so was breaching King Laufey's truce with Asgard to never cross the borders that separated the two. By bringing us here, my father may as just re-started a war.

I was started from my troubled thoughts when we were met by small party led by a stout man wearing a saffron cape and armour. He had shoulder length grey hair and in one hand he held a gold staff. His eye- for the other was covered by a gold eye patch pin pointed me to the floor like an insect.

"What is the meaning of this!" He yelled addressing Heimdall, "Have you forgotten your oath to protect this Kingdom good Heimdall."

Heimdell bowed respectfully to his king. "Forgive me All-Father, my oath remains strong. However as it is my duty to watch over the Nine Realms, I feel I am also bound to protect those whom I am within reach to help."

"And you thought you should protect these creatures by bringing them into Asgard? Do you have any idea of the lives that could be in danger now?" Heimdall ducked his head in understanding.

"Please!" I spoke, finding my voice. "Help us! My father, he is dying!"

The King frowned, "What is there to gain from helping my enemy and his hybrid spawn? Why should I do as you demand?"

I looked down at my father who was looking back at me with sad eyes. "It's alright child." His voice was barely a whisper now and he clasped one of my hands.

A tear slipped down my cheek, freezing before it could even reach my chin, reminding me of my abomination status. "No it's not alright" I said in a hushed tone and then looked up at the King once more. "Nothing I can give you but my gratitude and my trust- that is all you would stand to gain if you helped us. My father and I, we are not your enemies and we did not come here looking for trouble. My father called upon Heimdall, seeking refuge from King Laufey's wrath. He was desparate enough to call upon his own enemy to save our lives. If you are the lesser of two evils then you will save him. Not because it is what I demand. But because it is the right thing to do." With my words still echoing around the domed room, I let my Jotun form evaporate. My cold blue skin grew fair, my black hair, white and my red eyes, ice blue. The small party behind the King seemed to almost exhale at my new form and even the King himself looked a little perplexed.

Turned to Heimdall he spoke less harshly, "Is it true, were they attacked by Laufey?"

Heimdall nodded, "By his men, yes. They were sent to retrieve her."

"For what purpose? Of what importance is she?"

Heimdall's eyes flicked back and forth between the King and his audience. "Perhaps that is best left answered before a smaller council my King."

The king nodded and finally with a flick of his wrist gestured some women forward. "Heal the frost giant as best you can." Though the women looked surprised at his decision they made no objection and started timidly towards us.

Wargo backed down and moved to safer distance so they could come closer but I stayed with my father still holding my ground in numb defiance.

"You must not touch him with your bare hands." I told one who seemed to be in charge of the healers and I pulled my gloves from my bag to give to her. She took them rather gingerly but the others followed her lead, donning thick gloves, borrowed from what looked like guards or they wrapped their hands in cloth. A young woman came over more confidently then the rest and offered me a smile, reminding me that this was the first time I had ever seen people who looked like my normal form.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to ask you kindly to move away with me." When I shook my head and glared at her she smiled again, "I only ask so that we may tend to him. You can stay by his side if you wish but its best you not watch. The healing process can be… hard to bare and I doubt your… your father would wish for you to see him this way."

My shoulders sagged and I gave my father a reluctant look. He patted my now bare hand, "Go daughter. I'll be fine," though he winced as the first healer began to inspect his wound with tender hands.

I let the young women pull me up off the blood soaked ground. I must have looked a sorry mess with my father's blood caking me nearly from head to toe but the woman did not seem to notice as she led me away and out of the domed room with Wargo following behind with caution. The King and the last of the group had too left and were standing outside the doorway we emerged from.

I will not soon forget my first sight of the Realm Eternal. In all my years, I had never even left Pyrmheim. The most beautiful sight I'd ever beheld before this moment was my father's ice castle as it sparkled in the light. But that memory paled a thousand times over to the sheer magnificence and beauty that was Asgard.

The sun rising over the very tip of the grand castle cast brilliant orange light over the kingdom. Every single building including the castle seemed to be made of gold, bronze or silver metal and each one caught the light the reflected it back and forth like a mirror. Mountains lush with foliage surround Asgard as an imposing fortress adding even more colour than was possible to the view. Two planets and their moons were visible against the early morning sky bringing depth to this land that had never been possible in Jotunheim with the never-ending curtain of clouds blanketing out even the stars.

I gaped around me in awe, taking it all in, the heat, the colour and even the smell of this wondrous land until I felt a stare lingering on me. I turned and found my gaze directed upon a pair of brooding blue eyes framed by dark lashes. My wonderment continued as I was met by the gaze of a striking man adorned in green and chrome. His angular face was frame by layered black hair and the haunting air he held was matched by his lean height over the surly man he stood next to and the King as they spoke in quiet tones.

But as my own eyes clashed with his, the man's features twisted into what could only be described as a look of cruel disgust. He lifted his chin in a show of aloofness and turned away from me only to whisper something to the man next to him- who was more muscular and wore armour similar to his but with a red cape- who shook his head at whatever he said.

I turned away feeling suddenly very out of place. The woman who had led me outside seemed to notice and put a hand on my arm lightly. "Are you alright?"

I nodded and tried to give her a small smile, and failed, "Yes. At least I think I will be. Thank you for asking though."

She nodded, "I am Saga but you may call me Sage- it's my nickname around here. What is your name if I may ask?" I looked at Sage assessing her. She was slightly shorter than me with a mess of long curly brown locks matching her warm skin tone and her large almond shaped eyes. She was quite curvy in comparison to my more slender frame and she seemed to emit warmth where as I felt like an icicle next to her. All-in-all she appeared to be someone I could speak freely with.

"I am Skadi." I replied after a moment. Wargo nudged my shoulder and I stepped back to raise a hand to place upon his head, "And this is my only friend, Wargo."

Sage's eyes lit up, "A Warg, I mean a Jotun wolf! I have read much about them in my studies. Is it true they can learn to understand the human language?"

I smiled softly and ruffled his fur. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Wargo leaned into my touch but then sat back on his hind legs and offered Sage one of his large paws.

She laughed delighted and extended a trembling hand to his paw and shook it. "A pleasure to meet you kind Wargo. I must say, despite you being the only Jotun wolf I have ever had the honour to meet, you are also the most handsome!"

Wargo's lips lifted up to show his teeth as if he were smiling and bowed his head in reply.

"Well that is certainly one way to win him over. Perhaps I should have tried that the first time we met." I told Sage.

Sage dropped Wargo's paw and turned back to me. "What happened?"

A muscle in my jaw twitched at the memory. "Oh, nothing too horrible, but I did nearly loose a hand trying to take my catch back from him after he stole it when I had my back turned. Eventually we came to the conclusion that we could share it, but he's been the same sly pup ever since."

"You are a hunter too?" She asked, "Extraordinary. I have truly seen it all this day and it's not yet noon. I dare say you two will be a fine addition to Asgard"

I almost laughed but then I remembered why I was here and I looked back over my shoulder at the doorway. I could not see my father but I could hear much of what was going on. I didn't like the sound of my father's pain.

"Do you think he will be alright? Can he be healed?" I whispered almost to myself.

Sage stepped closer and sighed. "I cannot say Skadi I am sorry. His wound is so great, it will need much time and attention to repair but I can promise you this." She picked up my hand. "Our healers will do everything in their power to help him they-" She paused and looked down at my hand in hers, "Oh! Your hand is freezing, are you cold?"

I shook my head and pulled away. "You saw what I am Sage. I do not feel the cold because by body has adapted to it." I stepped back from her. "Are you not afraid of what I am? Are you not repulsed like your King?"

Sage shook her head with a cryptic smile. "Valhalla no. I have never met anyone like you Skadi, that much is true but I have also never met anyone from Jotunheim who didn't want to instantly kill me either and I am intrigued. If you are the kind soul that I perceive from your energy to be then you are a person worth knowing."

"You don't know me yet and I wouldn't say I didn't want to kill you at first. I might have tried to if I felt the need." I muttered guiltily.

Sage grinned boldly. "Then I would have tried to persuade you otherwise with a prose and you would have been so enchanted by my words you would have still chosen to spare me."

I quirked an eyebrow, "Your prose?"

"Yes," she continued, "I am but the master of poetry and runes in this realm and I can claim valiantly that none shall ever best me in a war of words!" Her effort to cheer me up worked almost too well.

I cupped a hand over my mouth to hide my smile. "Then I dare not utter a challenge." My words came out mumbled but still discernable and she tipped her head proudly.

"A wise choice." A thunderous voice approved making me jump and whirl around in defence. Wargo gnashed his teeth next to me.

The owner of the voice laughed boldly. "I am sorry I did not mean to startle you. Please forgive me. I am Thor, Prince of Asgard."

I relaxed my stance and patted Wargo to tell him to do the same. "The God of Thunder." I finished for him and he smiled a little smugly.

"You have heard of me then. Unfortunately I am at a loss as though I know you are Skadi of Jotunheim, I know nothing about you. Other than the fact that you are not the enemy as my father tells me." Thor smiled and reached for my hand and though I flinched uncertainly I let him take it and press a kiss across my knuckles in a manner I was very much unfamiliar with after so many years of non-socialisation. "Pray, tell me about yourself fair Skadi."

I pulled my hand away and rubbed it uncertainly where he had kissed it. "Well, I like to hunt and ski?"

Thor's brow creased. "Ski? What is that?"

I was perplexed he did not know, but that perhaps would be due to the fact that there did not seem to be any snow at all on the surrounding mountains on which _to _ski. That and I had only learned of the sport through a Midgardian book taken during one of the Jotun raids. "It's.. well-"

"It's a sport brother of which I very much doubt you have ever heard of since you haven't read a book since the one time you got a paper cut and swore off reading for an eternity just to smite it." The dark haired man had appeared next to Thor without a sound and I nearly shrunk back as his eyes filled with contempt just looking upon me.

"Ah, Loki but you see, I am still victorious over those vicious pages and that is all that matters! Skadi," Thor gestured to the taller man, "this is my younger brother Loki, while I am called the God of Thunder he is-"

-"The God of Mischief," I interrupted as I recognised him. "I have heard of you too." Loki, unlike his brother did not hold out his hand to take mine but he did greet me with a deeper frown if it was even possible.

"Yes of course you have." His voice was as slick as silver, "And I don't suppose while you were reading up on our talents you were also studying our weaknesses too."

"Brother," Thor warned, "be nice. Skadi is our guest and she should be treated as such just as anyone from any other realm would."

"But she's not from just any other realm. She's from Jotunheim, and she'll be treated like such from everyone else once they find out." Loki replied coldly and I looked down at my feet, ashamed that he might just have spoken the truth. Wargo made to moved forward with a snarl but I held him back with an arm across his chest. Sage too stepped to my side, surprising me with her support but I doubted one person could change the outcome.

"But they won't find out." Thor voiced and I looked up at him surprised. "Father has decided that as long as you wish to stay here, you must remain in your form as you are. Though word will get around soon enough that you have frost giant blood, your Jotun form must be kept from the public eye, just to make them…feel safer."

I nodded sadly, "I don't suppose that's because I am the monster mothers tell their children about at night." Both brothers exchanged looks but they did not need to speak to give me confirmation and I laughed surprising them. "It's funny how quickly the tables have turned, as I have feared Asgard and its people for so long and now when I get here I find that you are not the monsters in the story at all."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Loki smirked, "once word catches the wind that there's a Jotun in the healing chambers and another walks among us, then I guess we shall see who the true monster is."

I scowled at the younger prince already beginning to loath him. Hating anyone this way surprised me, though I hated most frost giants out of fear my growing distaste for this man was aroused by his own obvious and quite rude treatment he served strangers. Not to mention that I hated the way I was still oddly interested in him despite his flaws in character.

"Or perhaps we won't." I challenged, "perhaps you might not like the truth."

For the first time that day Loki's lips slipped into a smile, "Not when I so love lies! No I certainly doubt it can be that bad. After all what more is there to see other than that lovely face you made with your Jotun form and the party trick with the frost. Not very scary if you ask me."

I ginned and shifted my teeth so they were razor sharp again and my eyes turned blood red. Sage and Thor stepped back but Loki held fast. "You haven't even seen the half of it." I promised him.

"Enough, Loki, Skadi!" Odin All-Father commanded approaching our group and I composed myself closing my eyes and opening them again once they were back to blue. Loki nodded respectfully to his father but the smirk on his face told me he was still enjoying our banter.

Odin joined us with the woman I had identified as the head-healer- who was now just as blood soaked as I was. "Skadi, this is Mirdel, she has news of your father and wishes to speak with you."

Suddenly my jesting mood had run its course, sobering me.

"Thank you All-Father. Mirdel?" I greeted the elderly woman. Odin gestured for his sons to leave us but Sage stayed behind.

"Good morn Skadi and may I say welcome." Her tone was gentle and kind as I would expect from a healer but she cut to the chase straight away. "Your father is in a bad shape my dear, we have done as much as we can to patch him up but in order for him to make it through the night we are asking that you might be able to provide some blood as a transfusion. He has lost so much of his own and although the most you could possibly give in one go would not be even close to the amount he requires, it is the best and only thing we can do to speed his recovery at this moment."

I nodded along with her every word, afraid to miss a single detail but also wanting to shut out the reality of them. "Yes of course. You can take as much as you need."

She nodded, "Good. However we cannot do that here and we need to move him to the infirmary. But he will rouse much…fear and gossip if he is seen as a frost giant. I must ask, in light of his position, he is too weak to attempt to cloak himself. Do you think you could lend your energy to create an illusion over him until we have him back in the palace?"

"Yes, I can do that." I agreed and followed her as she re-entered the domed room. My heart clenched re-viewing the sight of my father, unmoving and bleeding upon the ground. His eyes were now closed but a healer stood above him as floating, glowing particles showed the framework of his internal organs still supplying him with life and energy.

Mirdel motioned for a group of guards to help lift my father's weight onto a large stretcher supplied- which I had to wonder who it was used for if not a giant. I followed their movements suspiciously, waiting for one to strike him while he was down. But they all obeyed Mirdel and lifted him in unison, after much struggle, depositing him onto the stretcher and then lifted the stretcher and began to carry it over to one of the silver and chrome boat shaped transports that had flown in when the King and his party had first arrived.

The King and his sons watched without speaking as the guards loaded him onto the ship and then allowed me and Wargo to board. I dropped down next to my father and placed a careful hand on his shoulder. Closing my eyes I concentrated my own energy to move down from my charkas, along my arm and into my father and from there I shifted his form until he appeared as a human. The way he usually looked as he raised me in his dual forms, still tall for a human, but with pale skin and his usual slick of dark hair.

"So that's how he did it." Odin muttered to himself. I looked up at him curiously but he offered no response other than to turn away and board another ship in front of us. Mirdel, Sage, another healer and a guard joined Wargo and I and the rest of the party was divided out amongst the three ships that were there.

I looked back at the domed room and noticed Heimdall shaking his head at the mess upon his floor and I wondered who would be the poor soul to clean it up. Once again a brazen stare was felt upon me and turning I coolly met Loki in the ship sitting next to his father. The look on his face said it all. Our conversation was not yet over and I did not doubt for a second that he would hold back neither his torment nor his snide remarks. In fact, this was really only just the beginning.

Without a word, all three ships took off in formation and shot towards the golden skyline.

**Author's note: So sorry for the big delay for this chapter guys but wow these chapters just keep getting longer and longer! I want to thank everyone who has followed my story thus far; your continuing support is doing wonders for my ego! Once again I ask you to favourite or follow if you want email updates on this story. Seriously you do not want to miss the next chapter- Spoiler- more Loki goodness to come! Also please review, I am absolutely open to any suggestions you might have as to where you wish to see my story go! KR**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Exchanging pleasantries?

Jotunheim- present day

"My King I have failed you." The frost giant murmured from his kneeling position.

The shadows seemed to shift with angry energy. "Indeed." A voice of ancient promise said from the shadows. "As you usually do Hajani. It seems to be all you are good for these days. Failure."

"Please," Hajani pleaded, "let me try again, when the moment comes I'll-"

"-YOU'LL WHAT?" The caverns sounding the throne room shook sending ice and snow cascading. "You'll fail just as you have now. You forget Hajani, I am not a man to give second chances. The fact that I ever gave you one is perhaps one of my biggest mistakes. And I can longer afford to make mistakes. Not when everything we have so long be striving for hangs in the balance all because a _prophecy," _he spat the word, "dictates what could be the beginning of a new war and the very end of our existence."

Silence followed his grave words. Hajani began to rise.

"KNEEL!" The King roared shaking large icicles from their precarious hold from above. A particularly big one narrowly avoided the kneeling frost giant who gaped at the sight before staring back up at his King.

"Pity," The shadows mocked, "That I will have to kill you myself." Yet the shadowed King gestured instead to the giants at his side. They rushed towards Hajani who shocked by the nearing of his fate didn't move until the first blade had met his skin.

Skadi's POV

Against my useless pleas, Mirdel would not allow me to stay at my father's (makeshift) bedside- two beds had been pushed together with another vertical at the end- after giving him blood. Rather she and a flurry of healers hauled my weakened and light headed body across the room to where a curtain had been placed as a cubical for me to change.

I yelped drowsily as the women violated my privacy and striped me of my bloodied and tattered garb and slipped me into a nightgown before pushing me onto the bed and all but threatened to knock me out either with their fists or herbs unless I got some rest.

And so I came to be, lying on a small strip of the bed as Wargo demanded to rest with me and I curled into the warm mass of his fur as sleep claimed me.

Loki's POV

I frowned as Heimdall entered the throne room later that same morning. The Gatekeeper of the Bifrost marched forward down the steps, taking his own time to cross the room and sank into a deep respectful bow.

"My King, Queen Frigga, Prince Thor, Prince Loki," he nodded in turn to each of us. "You wished to speak with me" It was not a question.

"Yes good Heimdall. I am quite certain you know the matter of which we called you here to discuss." My father said and shifted forward on the throne.

"Skadi." Heimdall answered confidently. "You wish to know how she came to be an object of my interest and more importantly of Laufey's"

"Yes." Came Odin's curt reply.

Heimdall placed his hands behind his back and nodded. "It is but a long story, the first half you are quite aware of, of course my King. You have known of Skadi for almost as long as I have." I sent my father a surprised look but he did not deny Heimdall's claim nor explain and so the Gatekeeper continued. "Of course, the situation surrounding her birth was the initial reason I chose to keep watch of her, but it soon came to be not the only reason for it. You see my King. She. Is. The Key."

My father narrowed his eye. "I'm afraid I do not understand Heimdall."

Heimdall smiled. "No, and at first neither did I. You see, eons ago during the early years of Laufey's reign as King of Jotunheim and the first frost giant attacks on Midgard, there was a prophecy made by a Midgardian sibyl. Her name was Cassandra, though that detail matters not. Her prophecy however, detailed not only the end of Laufey's reign- overcome by the rightful ruler of Jotunheim- but also the end of all disputes, battles and wars between Asgard and Jotunheim. A new age of peace."

Odin stared dismayed at Heimdall, enchanted by the idea, the possibility. "And why have you kept this from me all these years Heimdall, when this is such good news."

Heimdall blinked, only once and I knew he was still watching the nine realms even while otherwise occupied. "Because nothing is ever that simple my liege, especially when it comes to prophecies. This prophecy, Cassandra of Troy spoke of, had two sides to it. So the outcome could go either way depending on the choices made by those involved. Even I, with my all-seeing gifts cannot foresee what is to become of this… The prophecy also states that Laufey's reign could be strengthened, with the blood of a hybrid, and if he gets his hands upon that which he craves... he will have the power to take over all of the Nine Realms. He would be truly unstoppable."

Odin spoke over the deafening silence. "I assume the hybrid in the prophecy is Skadi." Heimdall nodded.

Thor was the first to move. "If this prophecy holds true then perhaps we ought to take the frost giants out now! Before Laufey has the chance to get his hands on her."

I turned to him with a sneer, "are you already so enchanted by her brother that you take her side so quickly? What if Heimdall has misinterpreted the prophecy and she's really just working with the monster to gain our trust and steal Jotunheim's power source back?"

Thor scowled at me. "She is a defenceless maiden, not a danger to us at all and we must do what we can immediately to protect her."

I grinned, "What? You didn't see the fangs and those claws of hers too? That's hardly what I would call defenceless brother."

"So you would have her face this threat alone then!?" he retorted.

"Silence!" Father called, putting an end to our bickering. "I believe Heimdall knows the prophecy better than anyone and as such I would ask him of his opinion on this matter before we rush into battle foolishly."

Heimdall tipped his head, "As I know only of the prophecy and not of the outcome then there is not much I can do to shed more light on this matter.. yet.. However that being said, I believe that as of this moment Skadi is our highest priority. Guards should be stationed with her at all times, either to protect her, or to protect your people and I suggest that she and her father remain here, where we can keep a closer eye on them until we can determine exactly what step will be played next. The prophecy must come to pass as all others do. What we must do now, is determine what can be done to make sure it tips in our favour. Perhaps allowing Skadi the hospitality of a most honoured guest would be in our best interest. After all, if she is the key to eternal peace and prosperity then we would need her on our side."

Odin considered the Gatekeeper's words for a moment. He glanced at my mother who smiled and nodded reassuringly, no doubt sharing the same thoughts. Finally my father returned back to Heimdall and said, "A wise council. Skadi is no doubt suspicious of our motives for bringing her here and she may remain so unless we offer her our hands, unarmed. I have seen that she has taken the poet Saga as an acquaintance with good grace and perhaps it would be also fair to introduce her to more Asgardians her age whom she may befriend. Thor," he shifted to look down at my brother from his post, "be sure to welcome her amongst your friends as soon as you see fit. But make sure to keep your eyes peeled for anything that seems out of place and inform me of it at once."

Thor bowed, "Yes father."

"And Loki, don't do anything stupid around her. She's already on edge as it is, I don't want her revealing her Jotun form in the company of prying eyes. It's best you keep your tricks to yourself and behave yourself. She is our guest now. Respect her as such."

I gritted my teeth and swept into a low, mocking bow, "Of course father," I said sarcastically, "we wouldn't want her feel unwelcome now would we." My father glowered down at me but I ignored him, though I did wipe the smirk off my face when I caught mother's disapproving look.

"Until such a time as more light is shed on this matter you will follow my orders." Father continued but he was now speaking to both Thor and to me, "you must both remember, a wise king never seeks out war, but he must always be ready for it." With that said he glanced back down at Heimdall. "Is there anything else you wish to share before I ask you to return to your post?"

Heimdall smiled, which was so rare for the Gatekeeper to do so. "Actually my King, there is one last thing you must know… about Skadi."

"Impossible," I said with a shake of my head as I followed Thor out of the throne room as the meeting convened. "Father can't really be serious about us protecting her now. Not after we are told this."

Thor waited for me to fall into line next to him before he continued walking down the hall. "I find it difficult to understand too brother. But perhaps this is all the more reason for us to do so. Laufey wants her so that he can retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters and rule the Nine Realms. We cannot send her back and just hand her over."

"No," I agreed, "but I just think she would be more suited to living in one of the cells than as a guest here. You saw her as I did Thor, she's a monster."

"Maybe. Or maybe she's more like her other half than we know."

I laughed, "Because that's much better than her Jotun half. Midgardians are not as humble as they would have us believe."

Thor shook his head. "I guess we shall just have to find out then." He clapped me hard on the back as we were approached by the Warriors Three and Lady Sif.

"Thor!" Sif called out, "we've been looking everywhere for you, we've heard rumours, tell us are they true?"

"Yes tell us!?" Volstagg jumped in, "is it true frost giants somehow slipped past Heimdall's watch and attacked?"

"I heard, one of them was a woman! Was she as ugly as the men?" Fandral added.

"Well I heard that one of the brutes was slain by Odin and was taken to the healing chambers to be dissected!" Hogun finished quietly.

Thor laughed at their excitement, "My friends have you not yet learned that court gossip is never true. Although there is much to tell, come! We shall go find a more secluded place to talk and I shall tell you of someone I would like you all to meet very soon!" Thor and his posse made a racquet of noise the whole way down the hall as they went but I stayed behind and chose instead to return to my quarters where the silence was more comfortable and I had a half read tome on energy bending waiting.

But I found, once I had reached my chambers and sat down to read that my mind was too far elsewhere to comprehend the words on the page. All I saw in my head was one face, well two really. One that brought such absolute disgust and anger to the surface and another that was so strikingly beautiful that it only made the hatred bubble even more. I threw the tome across the room surprised by the negatives emotions swirling within me. And yet I wondered how someone I despised so quickly could rouse such a response from me and yet still leave me feeling so… intrigued.

Skadi's POV

I didn't wake till early the next morning as the brilliant sunlight seeped through the windows either side of my bed and hit me square in the eyes. I was unused to being roused by the sun and the feel of its heat against my cheek made me jump awake as if burned. I gasped and clutched my head as the blood rushed to it and stars swam across my vision. My body felt sore and hollow everywhere. I groaned remembering that I had given blood, to save my father.

I turned sharply to look down the rows of beds hoping to see him awake. But he was not there. Nor was there a row of beds. In fact the whole room was not as I left it all. I gaped around at the chamber I had woken to with round eyes. Someone must have moved me as I slept for I found myself lying upon a huge bed that felt as light and soft as a cloud not a scratchy single bed made for the convenience of access. The room itself was decorated with white furniture draped in gold and silver brocade finishes and fabrics. In one- very large corner a huge bookcase and a matching chair sat waiting to be used. Along the wall nearest the bed was a rune carved wardrobe and a dresser with a round polished mirror. Several doors led out of the room but I was unsure where to.

Gingerly I pulled back the covers, relieved to see that I was at least still wearing the same nightgown. I put my legs over the edge of the bed and stepped carefully onto my feet waiting for the dizzy feeling to subside.

Just then one of the doors on the far wall opened and a young woman in a brown and orange dress appeared.

"Oh!" She exclaimed seeing me, "I did not think you would be up so early! The healers said you might still be tired after-….after…."

I sighed, "Yes well, I couldn't sleep any longer. Sorry, but who are you?"

Her eyes widened, "I am Roslyn, I have been assigned to be your handmaid." She gave me an uncertain curtsey and my jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Woah, now hold on. Handmaid? Also what am I doing here?"

Roslyn's lower lip trembled as if she was afraid I might scold her, "Yes, your handmaid. King Odin has informed me that you are allowed to stay indefinitely, as long as you please and you will reside here for the duration of your stay."

I raised an eyebrow, "Will?"

"Uh. May. You may reside here, if it pleases you." Roslyn corrected herself hastily, too hastily making me suspicious.

"You know, don't you?" I asked her flatly.

Fear masked her face. "Ye-yes my lady. I had heard. People talk and word travels fast. I heard about you and your father from a healer but- but I, I do not think it's a bad…thing? To be of Jotunheim I mean."

"You're scared of me aren't you?"

She shook her head quickly but her wide eyes said all I needed to know.

"Fear not Roslyn. I will not hurt you. Contrary to popular belief around here, not all frost giants are cold-blooded killer's hell bent on 'ruling over the nine realms." My father and I are much more open minded than you think."

Roslyn nodded looking a little more relieved. "It's just, if you don't mind me saying, I did not think you would look so… normal."

I gave her a tight lipped smile. "That's a nice way of describing me I suppose." I had come to think if myself as an abomination, so for someone to say I looked like I fitted in made me feel a little better about the situation at hand.

"So, is there anything I can do for you my lady?" Roslyn brought us back to why she- and I- were here.

"For starters, you can called me Skadi, I'm no lady. And secondly, well, that's it really. I hardly need a handmaid. I never had one in… back home."

Roslyn nodded nervously. "I have been assigned to you to help you dress, bathe and to clean up after you. It is my job and I think you will find I am very good at it."

I sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, "I'm sure you are Roslyn but I'm telling you I will be fine, I can do all that myself. I do not need help"

The girl looked around the room surprised, "Not even to dress." I shook my head. "I, I could do your hair though? I could make it look very nice. You would like it."

I rubbed my face against the palm of my hands aggravated. "Listen, Roslyn, all I want is to go and see my father and if you really want a job then you can take me to him."

Roslyn's face lit up but fell just as quickly. "Well then you need to get dressed. You can't go wandering around the palace looking like that." She gestured to my rumpled night gown and knotted hair.

"Very well, then please tell me what has been done with my clothes and I shall dress myself."

If anything the poor girl seemed to shrink back, "Well, they've been… they've been burnt."

"Burnt?"

"Yes, burnt. They were so... so dirty and ripped; they were hardly worth wearing again. The queen had some garments brought in while you were sleeping however to replace them." She crossed the room over to the wardrobe and opened one of the doors. I stood and approached her to see what was there just as she pulled out a hanger and held the garment up to the light.

I stopped in my tracks and stared at the 'dress.' "I'm not wearing that."

I stalked down the hallway, grumpily trailing behind Roslyn as she led me to the infirmary. I was wearing the flimsy blue dress she had picked out for me; only after I determined that the rest of my wardrobe contained not a single pair of trousers nor any tunics that I would be more comfortable in.

The dress itself was long sleeved with laces at both wrists but my shoulders were almost bare as the neckline of the dress scooped far lower than I had ever thought appropriate with more lacing across the bust and down the torso. The skirt of the dress was made of wispy woven fabric that flowed around me in rather annoying layers as I walked.

Roslyn had had to help me into the dress against my initial protests and had even gone so far as to sit me down and pull my hair into a ridiculously intricate up-do which left lots of straight stands of my white hair trailing down in my face and along my collar. I couldn't help but feel absolutely foolish in my get up and not only that I felt vulnerable. There was no room to fight in this dress and every time I even so much as moved my head a new strand of hair blew across my face. Roslyn had sighed and said I looked 'beautiful' but all I saw was a stranger when I looked in the mirror.

_Perhaps this was Odin's plan, _I thought as I nearly tripped on the hem of my dress for another countless time, to _weaken my defences by making me wear this so I would not be able to fight back should he feel the need to attack me._

Roslyn led me through the palace and I felt as if I were inside an over decorated maze. The sheer size of the place easily put my father's castle to shame. I had always thought my home to be excessive in style and décor- what little was left of it anyway- but the grand palace of Asgard was incredible beyond belief. Every room had a high ceiling held up by columns. No expense was spared in the decorating of each room but no two rooms had the same style or colour palette.

I was distracted by a passing room when we were intercepted by a small entourage outside an extravagant doorway.

"Skadi!" Thor thunderous voice boomed as he approached bringing the woman on his arm with him. "It is good to see you awake and well. And let me be the first to say you look incredible."

I smiled at him still unsure of his kindness towards me. "Thank you Prince Thor. But you'll have to excuse me when I say I do not feel so incredible in this dress."

The lady on Thor's arm laughed, "That would be my fault dear Skadi, I'm afraid I did not take you to be a woman at arms like Lady Sif is. The dresses were my idea but please if you would be more comfortable in something else then I'd be more than happy to accommodate you."

I looked at her quizzically for a second trying to place her.

"How rude of me," Thor interjected before I could ask, "this is my mother Queen Frigga, mother this is Skadi."

I gave her a quick curtsey as a blush stole across my cheeks. I had unintentionally offended the Queen. "I am sorry Queen Frigga. I meant no offense. The dresses are lovely truly they are but I think they were made for a lady of court, that which I am not."

The Queen smiled, "Worry not Skadi. I can see you are not like most women but also so like most women. I will have a tailor be sent to you to sort out your wardrobe. I want you to feel at ease during your stay although I do agree with Thor when I say you do look incredible. And please, call me Frigga. You are an honoured guest here and we have no titles with our guests."

I smiled still embarrassed, "Frigga it is. Again I am sorry. Though I do think I could come to getting used to wearing dresses, perhaps more demure styles would be best."

Frigga nodded. "You remind me much of Lady Sif indeed. Thor will have to introduce you two over breakfast."

"Oh," I breathed, "well that sounds nice but I was just on my way to see my father. I wish to know how he is."

"Your father is fine Skadi." Thor cut in, "He is in a stable condition and he has taken well to the blood transfusion but he has not yet awoken and I doubt he would be much company. I went and saw him myself not long ago, trust me. Besides, your Jotun wolf is with him, watching him like a hawk."

"He is? Well, still, I really think-"

"Are you all just going to stand there making light conversation while breakfast goes cold?" A languid voice asked behind me making me jump. I turned around and watched Loki's eyes glance down at me amused with a hint of…something else behind them as he joined our small circle. I noticed finally that Roslyn had dropped back next to another woman wearing the same garb as her and they stood patiently to the side, waiting for orders.

"Good morrow Mother, Thor." Loki stepped in and greeted them excluding me.

"Loki!" Frigga gave him a radiant smile and it wasn't hard to see the motherly affection she had for him and she slipped her arm into Loki's. "We were just waiting for you my dear. Shall we?" She looked pointedly at me and I knew I had lost.

I nodded, "I guess we shall." I looked at Roslyn and gave her a look to say that she was free to go. Thor offered his now free arm to me and I took it remembering that this type of interaction was normal in many cultures. At least the books I had read on this subject said it was. Thor led me behind Loki and their mother and we entered the grand dining hall.

Another stunning sight met me as the room came into view. Another high vaulted ceiling with huge crystal chandeliers hanging from it over an impressively sized room. Long gilded tables were set up around the edges of the room towards the centre where four high back chairs were placed. The centre of the room was completely bare and devoid of furniture but many couples or groups of people stood socialising upon it.

"This room is often used for large events and parties." Thor told me seeing my expression, "though we use it for meals during normal days. Breakfast and dinner is a formal affair but at lunch guests and courtiers may come and go as they please. As you can see, meals are a time for talk and gossip."

I noticed a running theme among the ladies present was to wear either red or green, both colours that seemed to be the Princes favourite colour as it adorned their cloaks yesterday and their casual attire today, though no one seemed to be wearing blue which perhaps had something to do with it being the colour of Jotunheim.

Many gazes fixed upon the four of us as we entered with most of the eyes staring opening at me as the new comer and I felt oddly as though I were on display, especially in this blue dress with its daring cut. Hands covered lips as words were shared until we reached the table with the four high backed chairs.

"Skadi, as Odin will not be joining us as he usually doesn't for breakfast and as a personal guest I would offer for you to sit next to me." Frigga gestured to the second chair in the middle with a slightly shorter back which I guessed was usually her chair.

Thor held out the chair for me as Loki did the same for his mother and after she was seated I sat too.

Thor took up the chair to his mother's right and that left Loki with his chair on my left, much to my aggravation that I would now be forced to make conversation with him or blatantly ignore him altogether.

The rest of the crowd dispersed seeing the Queen seated and took up their seats around the room. Three leather wearing men and woman approached our table and bowed to the Queen.

"My dear Queen, you look as beautiful as ever!" One of the men with side swept blonde hair and a goatee said with a charming wink and Frigga smiled in response. "And this must be the lovely Skadi! I am Fandral the Dashing." he said turning to me and held out his hand as if expecting something.

I looked down at it confused until Loki leaned in to me and mock whispered, "You're supposed to give him your hand so he can kiss it."

I shot him a dirty look but gave Fandral my own hand in his and let him kiss my knuckles remembering when Thor did the same only yesterday. "It is pleasant to meet you Fandral."

"And I am Volstagg!" The plump man next to him cried nearly pushing him out the way, he took my still outstretched hand and kissed it too. "And this is Hogun."

"Volstagg." I confirmed as Hogun took my hand next. "And Hogun. I think I can remember those names."

The women stepped forward next, "And I am Sif but I'm not going to kiss your hand like these three idiots."

I laughed. "It's nice to meet you Sif, I have heard you are 'a woman at arms.'"

Sif laughed dryly at that, "Yes, I am a warrior, quite possibly the first too. Not many women are brave enough to fight for the right to defend Asgard."

"That's very noble of you." I complimented her but all she did was give me a tight lipped smile. I gathered she will not welcome me as quickly as the men have from the way she looked down at me as though I am something dirty she had stepped upon. I tried giving her a warm smile back but she turned away and began to make conversation with Frigga instead.

I looked down at the table feeling somewhat uneasy all of the sudden as if my appetite has gone.

"You best get used to this sort of reception." Loki said quietly. "I doubt you will be very popular with many once your heritage gets around. And it won't be long now until it does."

I shot Loki an irritated look but it's half-hearted. I understood. I'm a frost giant, at least by half and I should have expected to be received that way. Still it cuts deep to know that worse is to come. Loki leans away as dishes are then brought out by uniformed men.

"So Skadi," Frigga turned to me in her seat. "Thor tells me you ski. Where did you learn such a sport?"

I shrugged still a little wounded, "I learnt everything I know from books or from what my father told me. I remember reading about it when I was young from a Midgardian book and just wanting to try it myself."

"You had books? In Jotunheim?" Loki interjected, "Surely not. Frost giants are not concerned with the knowledge of other realms."

"Perhaps," I replied gently aware that Frigga was listening. It would not be wise to be disrespectful towards her son in range of her hearing, "however my father is not like most frost giants. He is open to the intellect found in books. And he was always open to me reading and learning. He gave me books from all different realms so I may do just that."

"You mean he stole them from all different realms for you?" Loki smirked.

Frigga narrowed her eyes at him from my side. "Loki! Be nice dear. I'm sure that's not true." But even she sounded sceptical.

I smiled at her sadly. "I think it is actually. My father never hid from the truth that he was actively involved in the frost giant wars before I was born and I see how he may have had access to such treasures as books but he always taught me the value of knowledge over fighting. He resents the wars, he resents being the enemy of anyone and I think most of all he resents who he is. Just as I do."

Frigga clasped my hand and gave me a sorrowful look. Loki just stared at me as if he is trying to work something out for himself but before either could say anything the dining hall is interrupted as the large doors burst open and Sage entered the room dressed in the uniform of a healer. She rushed quickly over to our table and against my will I stood as if I knew what was coming.

Sage curtsied quickly to Frigga and her sons. "Your majesties, I beg your pardon as I come baring unfortunate news and I must ask that Skadi accompany me to the infirmary."

"My father?" I asked hoarsely.

She shook her head, "His condition has worsened, he still lives….but in a somewhat unusual state. King Odin is with him now but we need to bring you to him as well."

I turned to Queen Frigga. "Please excuse me," I said with a hurried curtsey as I whirl around the table and follow Sage as we left the hall. I was too deep in my thoughts to notice that all eyes had fallen to me again as we exit, including a pair of infuriatingly blue ones that hold not a single sign of scorn, malice or pleasure at my expense but something else entirely.

**Authors note: Whoop, another long chapter! I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far- favourite or follow if you are! More Loki goodness to come guyyysss! And wow nearly 600 views on my story so far!? Incredible. Also you guys may or may not have noticed this chapter I gave a description of Skadi in her Asgardian dress and it sounded a lot like Elza from Frozen! Completely coincidental as this chapter has been written for some time before and I have yet to see that movie but I do like her overall look and Skadi would probably look like her if she was animated **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: True lies, lies true

He's lying there just as he was before only now everything has changed. Yesterday he was recovering. He was going to be okay, of that I was almost certain. And now…now I'm told he may never awaken. Awaken….as if he was only in a coma, which I'm told would be normal even for a frost giant who had sustained such serious injuries. But this is no coma.

It's more like…sleep. King Odin called it the Odinsleep but he's almost furious because until now the Odinsleep was something that only ever happened to him as the most powerful being in all the Nine Realms. His body would shut down for a day every year in order for his powers and his strength to regenerate and be restored.

And now it seems that is what father is doing. Sleeping. He look's peaceful. He's probably in a world of pain however.

Mirdel told me they only discovered him like this moments ago but they assume he had been in the Odinsleep all night and the healers had dismissed the signs until now. Although the Odinsleep is not something to fear for Odin, it could very well be for a frost giant who is near fatally wounded. His health has decreased since yesterday and nothing the healers have yet tried will wake him.

"We shall give him until tomorrow morn," Mirdel is telling the King whom stands stormily at the end of the bed clutching a great golden staff. "Then if he has not awakened…well, we are unsure as of what to do next other than giving him another blood transfusion although we are curious as to whether the Odinsleep is a reaction to the last transfusion."

Odin flicks a hand airily. "Surely not. Skadi still has frost giant blood even if she is only half. It would work for any Halfling." His tone is dismissive and Mirdel bobs her head quickly in agreement. I get the feeling that there aren't many if any at all who would contradict King Odin's opinion.

I block the rest of their conversation as I link my small fingers through my father's large lifeless ones. Frost steels over my bare hand instantly turning my skin blue up to my wrist hardening the fabric of my sleeve. It gives me reassurance to see my Jotun skin react to his as it normally would. He's still alive in there and until my skin remains pale on his I won't give up on him.

I feel King Odin and Mirdel watching me, and my changing skin but I don't acknowledge them. I lean down instead, pulling my father's arm up till our hands touch his shoulder and kiss his scarred cheek. More frost snaps along my lips and the cheek that touches his turning one eye red.

I know I must look monstrous as I pull away and turn to face my observer, half my face human and the other Jotun but I care not. My heart seems to have frozen as well because all the pure and nice thoughts I'd had before about Asgard and its people have vanished.

My father has been laying here for nearly two days, dying, while I wear pretty dresses and exchange pleasantries with people whose motives I have yet to determine. I am cold inside.

Despite all I have seen in less than a day, I have quickly come to realise that I would give it all back just to have my father healthy even if it meant I had never left Jotunheim and its vast desolation.

"I wish to see Wargo." I address the King, "Where is he?" I know my tone is not proper for whom I speak to and I'm surprised when I sound as though I am ordering him to tell me. I sound almost as if I am a Queen speaking to her subjects.

Odin does not betray any emotion when he speaks. "He is outside in the Grand Stables, you will be able to see him soon. But for now, I wish that you would accompany me to my study. There are a few matters I must bring to light."

My resolve falters as his voice, though emotionless, is commanding and all-powerful. I feel the frost dissipate as I gently free my hand from my fathers. My skin resumes its human state. "Very well. I will hear you. But I have a few questions of my own that I feel deserve an answer."

Odin smiles once, "You sound like my son." I don't ask him which one but I can guess which one it would be. "This way." He doesn't answer my request for answers but he didn't deny it either and I take it as a small victory.

The King leads the way with me close at his heels. I'm surprised when no guards follow us as they did the Queen and her sons but I guess the King, as powerful as he is supposed to be, does not require others to protect him.

He leads us into a huge domed room that puts all others to shame. Gold and saffron covers the room almost illuminating it. The floors and walls are highly polished white marble that reflects much of the gold hues back off it. Similarly coloured furniture such as the desk and the chairs await us but the King instead wanders over to a circular marble table that sits surrounded by curved book cases. A single book lies open upon the table, a large dome bound in brown leather with yellowed and worn pages. I recognize it as a Midgardian book for no other book from any realm would show such signs of age.

Odin rounds the table as I come to a halt in the middle of the room still taken back by the room. "I have spent all night going through every book I could think that went over every single Halfling or interspecies pairing known."

"Halfling?" I remember he'd called me that before in the infirmary.

"You of course. Half Jotun. Half Midgardian." His voice drops away. "Or are you?"

I blink unsure of where he is going with this.

"Every book had nothing that would describe a child such as yourself, born of Frost giant and human, because such a pairing is not possible. But then again, I already knew that. Heimdall has already told me that which you don't even know yourself. And I'm curious as to why your father never told you or why, a girl who has intelligence beyond her years, has not already figured it out."

My heart started pounding in my ears and I knew that whatever was to come, could not be good. "Figure out…what?"

The King chuckled. "You have power? Yes? Over the element of winter?"

My mouth ran dry. So far I had not exposed my power to anyone in Asgard. But I nodded knowing it was best not to lie. "Yes. But that I already knew, I don't understand-"

"-And your father is a frost giant? Yes?"

My mind was growing muddled, "Yes, but I don't see how any of this-"

"-And what of your mother?" Odin cut me off again.

I shook my head, "She was a human, from Midgard. Ida."

Odin nodded thoughtfully, "Ah, yes. Ida. Ida is derived from the name Idun, I believe."

The name sounded familiar to me but I could not place it. "I still don't…."

Odin sighed. "My dear, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your mother was not this Ida of Midgard. In fact she was no mere mortal of Midgard at all."

"I- no, you are mistaken."

"My dear, it seems that it is you who has been mistaken all these years. Your father, whatever his reasons did not tell you of your true heritage." Odin paused. "Yes your parents met on Midgard, but neither was from that realm. Your father Thiazzi, was part of the very last frost giant war. He played quite a considerably smaller role in that war than he did in others but nonetheless he was there. But so were we, the Asgardians. I brought my army of men and women to Midgard to put an end to King Laufey's mad crusade." He put a hand on the book in front of him and peered down at it thoughtfully. "Among those that joined me, was Idun, a beautiful woman, who, though she was no warrior came with us in an effort to help heal and aid those Midgardian and Asgardian alike that had fallen in battle. When through strange circumstances she came across Thiazzi. He was wounded, perhaps he would have died that day but for a reason not even Heimdall can fathom, she stopped to help him. We stayed for many days and nights battling the frost giants and then many more after we won to round up the rest who had hidden in the aftermath. Idun had compassion for her patients however and I know she would never have wanted to stand by and watch your father die as she assumed he would if she did not attend to him like no other healer would. So, when the time came for myself to send every frost giant back to Jotunheim, she made Thiazzi cloak her so she was invisible and she let herself be taken to what would remain of the frozen realm. I suppose during her time healing Thiazzi she came to love him and he, well, she had looks that could rival Freya herself so I don't doubt he fell for her too."

My stomach felt like lead listening to Odin as he told me of Idun, his story made sense but at the same time I was not convinced. Why would my father lie to me about my mother? What could he possibly gain from such a lie? "I don't believe you. My father told me my mother was Ida of Midgard and I trust him. As of yet I have no reason to trust you or what you say."

Odin nodded, "Beside the fact that MY healers are working day and night to keep your father alive?" I grimaced but he went on before I could defend myself, "True you cannot trust my word against the man, who raised you, but I have seen why he would lie and the sole reason was to protect you… from me."

I shook my head, "You? Why?"

"My dear, I have not finished the full story." He flicked to a page in the book before him and gestured for me to come closer and look. I crossed the distance to the table and rounded it to come to his side. The book was opened to beautiful drawing of a woman. She was dressed in a green gown and a gold necklace around her neck with a red stone pedant. She held a golden apple in one hand and a white bird in the other. She had long white hair that was flowing around her head like a halo. In this image, I could see some resemblance to my reflection but not enough to convince me.

Odin touched the page, "Your mother, stayed in Jotunheim for many months healing Thiazzi. She knew Heimdall was watching her and she knew that she only had to say the words and Heimdall would bring her home. But then, she realised she could not leave when the one she loved would never be welcome. And then another…complication, arose when she became pregnant with you. Thiazzi was horrified- but only at first- he was sure they'd created a monster just like him, but Idun, who had a heart big enough to love even the vilest of creatures you would be a child of two worlds, compassionate and eternal like her, strong and stubborn like Thiazzi. The rest of the story is much the same except for the end. Your mother fell ill during the months she carried you as her body struggled to protect two souls from the cold. Thiazzi did not realise until too late the effect his homeland had had on Idun and he had to watch as his…love, withered away. Your father decided he would try get Idun home where she could be cared for, where she could heal and restore. But the day before he would do so, your mother gave birth to you. Her body was too weak and she was dying, so he carried her outside and called for Heimdall, fearing she would not make it. Heimdall opened the Bifrost and Thiazzi, whom had given his word watched on as Idun was brought back home to Asgard. When I asked Heimdall about Idun at the end of the war, Heimdall told me he could no longer see her, and I assumed she was dead. So when I was called to the Bifrost to find Idun…lifeless at Heimdall's feet, I asked again where she was all this time. He told me she had slipped his watch. No one, ever, gets past Heimdall and so imagine my surprise and my anger when Heimdall tells me he lied, against his sworn oath, to protect you, instead of his King."

The wrath rolling off King Odin is so overwhelming that I almost take a step back but I hold my ground only just. I lift my head and meet his silver eye cautiously aware that whatever I say may only anger him further and I doubt that would be wise.

"You present a very real threat to my people Skadi and under normal circumstances I would eliminate you… but because you are also one of my people I can also not do so without breaking my own oath I swore when I took up the burden as King of Asgard." He keeps his eyes fixed on mine, daring me to be the first to look away.

"I have no intention of harming _your _people. Once my father is healed, we will leave this Realm and never return and you can rest easy knowing that the threat you fear is gone." I tell him steadily.

The king laughs as if I have just told him a joke. "Dear Skadi, do you really wish to return to Jotunheim where King Laufey no doubt lies in wait for you? I know the Frost King well, being my kingdom's enemy and I know that once he wants something he will not stop until he gets it. You cannot return." He turns away and walks over to his desk and takes a seat. My mind has gone elsewhere. If I cannot return home then just where can I go? I am clearly not welcome here and what of my father?

"Your father," the King starts as if he has read my thoughts, "on the other hand, is more than welcome to return as soon as he has recovered. In fact, it would be enforced that he does so. Frost giants are not permitted within these borders."

My head snaps up. "No! My father is just as much in danger as I am. So if he goes I go too!"

The King frowns, "This is not up for discussion. Heimdall will not let you pass and he has orders to return your father as soon as he can walk."

"You have seen my father. He will not be walking again soon, least not until he comes out of your precious Odinsleep. And until then I will fight for his right to stay. And if you are a true King who is willing to protect the innocent then you will help him." I am shaking out of anger and fear and desperation. This day has not yet started and already I have seen many unfair truths and lies that make my stomach churn. My life was next to normal two days ago as I skied down a mountain side in Jotunheim and now I can't even tell if that life was real or a dream.

"There are no innocent frost giants." Odin tells me softly, "Your father least of all."

"My father, is a better man than you will ever be, at least he taught me to love. I see all you taught your son Loki is to be exactly like you. A cold hearted man with no compassion or value for other lives but your own." I whirl away and start towards the door.

"Don't you dear turn your back on your King!" Odin cries as he stands knocking things off his desk as he does so.

I look back at me over my shoulder with red eyes. With all the power and authority I can muster I say, "I have no King and you cannot keep me here." He doesn't try to stop me again as I leave the room. I wrench one of the great doors open and slam it closed behind me.

I pivot on my feet ready to flee and smack into a wall of black and green.

The wall laughs against my body and pushes me back by my arms. "So I'm a cold hearted man with no compassion or value? And here I thought we were getting along so well!"

I wrench myself away. "It's not nice to eavesdrop." I begin walking briskly away from the king's study, hoping that wherever I'm headed is near the healing chamber.

Loki quickly falls into step beside me and keeps pace easily. "No, it's not, but I you see I was just on my way to see my father and when the guards stopped me from entering I was forced to wait. And, well, you two weren't exactly whispering."

I look at him out of my peripheral vision hating the smug look on his face. "Go away Loki."

"Why? So you can be alone to exact your evil frost giant business?"

I growl inhumanly which probably only further enforces the idea that I'm an evil creature but I'm feeling too provoked to do anything else.

Loki doesn't even flinch at the sound. "Oh don't be so melodramatic. I'm just impressed that you had a shouting match with my father and won. Few have done so and lived to tell the tale."

I relax my face going impassive, "Well if it's any consolation, my mouth might just get me dead before the next full moon so you won't need to be disappointed for long."

Loki laughs and the sound is genuine. "In that case, I cannot wait."

I try to glare at him but fail. Somehow his pleasure at my expense makes me feel more inferior then I've ever felt before.

We reach a courtyard that leads outside and I realise I have definitely gone the wrong way. I exhale exasperated and lean my palms against a marble railing. "Which way is the healing chamber?" I ask my shadow who has yet to leave me be.

Loki leans back against the railing beside me. "Back the way we came. Though I don't know why you want to go see him again, from what I've heard nothing's changed, and it probably won't."

I look at him, there's part of me that would just love to hit the righteousness out of him, maybe with a heavy baton of ice but I restrain the urge.

A movement to my right catches my eye and I see a cluster of court women talking and looking in our direction. Fear is quite obvious in their expressions. Loki looks in the same direction. "It seems word has finally gotten around about you. About what you are."

I look down at my hands that have clenched up. "You can say it you know."

Loki crosses his arms, "Say what?"

"That I'm a monster. They're already thinking it."

Loki nods, "True. You are a monster. Half frost giant, half Asgardian."

My gaze meets his, surprised, "You know?"

"Yes. I was present when Heimdall told father. They don't know of course but they'll suspect. You're too….surreal, to be human."

I don't ask him what he means by 'surreal'. I'm not sure I want to know. "Does it make things any better? Being half Asgardian rather than half human?"

"No," he says thoughtfully, "I think if anything I think it makes it worse. Makes you worse."

I'm almost startled by his sincerity and the way he says it. But I find his honesty refreshing in comparison to everyone's forced politeness.

I go back to watching the courtiers without replying. Many have left since we arrived, the rest, mainly the group I noticed before sneak curious and fearful looks at me and whisper behind cupped hands. I try to smile at them which earns me a terrified shriek from one of the ladies as if she thinks I have a vicious intent. It would be amusing if she hadn't fainted into the arms of the man next to her.

Loki chuckles. "I'd like to see what would happen if you turned into a frost giant before their eyes."

I purse my lips not impressed by his jest. "I'd rather not make myself more of an outsider."

He raises an eyebrow, "Trust me it can't get much worse."

"It can and knowing my luck, it will." I push myself away from the railing and head back down the hall. I'm perplexed when he doesn't follow me to continue his cool judgement of me but pleased he doesn't either. I don't need to glance back to know that he watches me until I disappear around the corner. _Always watching. _I wonder.

**Authors note: Sorry if this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous but I felt it was best left off here so I can start the next plot point. I hope you are all enjoying this story. FOLLOW AND FAVOURITE FOR MORE! Thanks to all that reviewed my story so far, I love hearing your opinions and I would like to hear what you think should happen next! KR.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Red Box

Father doesn't awaken from the Odinsleep. Nearly a week has passed since that day Odin confronted me with what I am determined to believe are twisted lies. I throw all such thoughts of my mother away as I take to watching over my father. Although my hope that he will emerge from this strange slumber fades with every hour.

I have hardly left his side since I spoke with Loki. I wake each day and dress in another flimsy Asgardian gown. My meals are had in my chambers by my own request, partly so I may eat quickly without distraction and then go to the ward but mostly because I don't wish to cause further terror by showing my face around the court people. The rest of my day is spent with my father. I sit at his bedside, sometimes with Wargo other times alone. Frigga has gifted me some books on different subjects which I read to myself or aloud in the hopes that my voice will pull my father from his sleep.

But I haven't had the courage to speak to him yet, to tell him what has happened since we arrived or to confine in him my thoughts or emotions. I'm afraid that once I start I won't stop and then the tears might flow. I don't want to appear weak, to him, or to the healers who are quite possibly the instigators of gossip.

Sage visits me and my father too and she provides pleasant company. She is very gifted with words and can spin up her own tales and stories with shocking depth and clarity as she weaves them. It's a nice reprieve from reality.

She calls me her friend and often asks questions about my life and about Jotunheim. I answer as many as I can without letting on too much. I trust the innocence I hear in her voice when she asks so I know she will not share secrets that are not hers to tell but at the same time I am still weary of Asgardians. She also requests I tell her stories of my own which I do but not with the same wit as she does.

Wargo likes Sage even more than I do. She always arrives with a sack of dried meat which she will promptly feed him and the great oaf has learnt that if he rolls on his back Sage will rub his belly like he's a pet. He even let her have a ride around the room on his back after she bribed him with a large raw steak. I roll my eyes now as I watch him thumping his hind leg happily as Sage scratches behind one huge ear. _Really, you'd think he was a lap dog and not a fully grown wolf with murderous capabilities from the way he's acting. _I think.

Sage laughs and steps away to take a seat next to me and Wargo settles himself at our feet with a loud yawn. "I brought you a new book," she says and hands me a small green bound book. "It's just a collection of Norse stories but it's one of my favourites and I thought you might like it too."

"Thank you Sage," I say and accept the book to run my hand over the cover. "Though I wish you wouldn't keep bringing me and Wargo gifts when we cannot return the favour."

Sage waves me away with a dainty hand, "Nonsense! I give you things because you have nothing of your own here and because I can!"

I smile, "Still, I feel rude for accepting things when I am only a guest here. I'm pretty sure I've begun to over-stay my welcome."

"No, you haven't," Sage frowns, "I know people talk of you and your father and they are afraid but they are only afraid because they fear the unknown. They do not know you. They do not know what you are capable of. But I do."

I look at my hands twisted in my lap, wringing the already crinkled fabric of my grey dress.

"You are Skadi, and you are by far the most interesting person I have met. And I have seen that you are capable of great kindness and perseverance from the way you look at your father. From the way you have near tamed a wild Jotun wolf to stand by your side as an equal. And from the way you have welcomed me and my endless questions and constant chatter. You are a good person Skadi regardless of where you are from."

I raise my eyes to hers, "Tell that to King Odin…and Loki while you are at it. They seem to only see the opposite in me."

"Ah," she grins, "The King is very opinionated, you are indeed unfortunate to be on his bad side but I doubt it would be hard to change his mind. He will see the light in you once he realises that you aren't as tough as you think you are-"

"-Hey!"

She giggles, "It's true! Sure you're scary when you go frost giant on us but I doubt you would harm anyone." I glare at her but my smile is playful. She sobers though as she says, "Loki on the other hand… he is very stubborn, just like Queen Frigga. I have never seen anyone contradict him once he has an idea of someone in his mind. He's a very difficult person to deal with. However I doubt he likes anyone very much. You needn't worry about pleasing him."

I shake my head feeling foolish, "Of course. I just, well, before this week I only had my father and Wargo to talk to so I've never come across someone who speaks to others in such a way. So honest and blunt as though he's got nothing to lose by speaking his mind. It's a wonder no one's hit him yet out of sheer irritation."

Sage explodes in a fit of laughter beside me and rouses Wargo in the process. "Oh, he's been hit plenty, he must be able to see the blows coming by now, but those who do always get worse by way of revenge. Imagine waking up in a pit of snakes or having your dinner spew insects, it's not pleasant."

"He can do that? With- magic?"

"Illusions." She corrects me as if they are not associated, "He's the master of illusions and deception. He can create an image of anything he wants. He can even duplicate himself. It comes in handy during battles and training. Many others use similar skills in battle, though none as effectively as Loki."

"Oh." I knew there were others who could do things beyond the norm such as Thor and Loki but to be in a realm where such gifts were almost common fascinated me. I wanted to know if there were others who could control elements as I could- beside Thor that is, but more than that I wanted to see others in action, using their powers, if just to prove to myself that I wasn't so different or alone. My attention snapped over to Sage again, "Do you have any such skills?"

Sage chuckled making her head of curls bounce, "No, I am not a wielder of magic as such but I suppose you could call my ability to seduce and subdue people with my voice magic. You have not heard me sing, _yet. _I can make grown men cry with woe and that is not pride talking, just a fact."

"All talk and no action!" I jest then I regard my father's prone body. "Can you sing for me now? For my father actually, I think he would like to hear you too."

Sage sits up straighter in her chair and brushes off invisible dust from her dress, "It would be an honour." And then she releases the first note. I swear as soon as the sound leaves her mouth the whole room evaporates and all that's left is a song and a story. My story. She makes up a tune on the spot and sings as if I am some heroic and exotic maiden from an enchanted kingdom and for a single moment I believe her.

"_Oh, child, of frost, of snow, of a land that glows with everlasting cold,_

_Child, born of dark, born of light, born half a world away,_

_Lost all but hope and to all but fear she's pulled away from home,_

_Found, oh so strong in her own might,_

_Lost, but won't give up her fight, no_

_Blue as ice, cold and hard, but still emitting light from deep within,_

_Fair as snow still fresh and soft from last night's powerful storm,_

_Now who could have thought a child of such a place,_

_Would be as gentle as the breeze while as tough as the frozen race"_

Her voice echoes around the room and I watch, transfixed by her. It definitely magic that holds me captive but a better kind than my own and I am envious that she should have such a pleasant gift while mine is so brutal and uncivilised in comparison.

She smiles serenely, lost by her own song and I can see the raw passion she has for singing just as I saw it in her avid expressions when she was weaving tales.

"That was beautiful," I sigh as the last word dissipates in the air. "Your voice is magic. You cannot claim to not have it when you have such talent."

Sage accepts my compliment modestly with a bob of her head, "maybe, but all I shall ever be able to do is entertain others. It would not protect me in battle."

"No," I agree, "But there is certainly power in the way you speak and sing that cannot be taught. You can transport a person away from their worries that's far better than being able to duplicate yourself in battle." Sage rubs Wargo's head as he against her, silently reinforcing my words. "It's no wonder you won Wargo over so quickly." I think aloud. I wonder what she would say if she ever knew about my own abilities. Not that they would be much use here. I had never tried to create ice or snow where there was none to be seen. Perhaps my powers would be useless here anyway. I turn away in thought.

We sit comfortably in silence for a few more minutes before the din is shattered by heavy footsteps at the door.

Thor enters flanked by a set of guards and approaches us with a sombre expression. Sage and I rise to greet him with a respectful curtsey.

"Please, be at ease ladies, I come as a friend, not a prince." Thor comes to a halt beside us and his red cloak sweeps around his feet. "Saga, Skadi. How fares Thiazzi?"

I lock my fingers in front of me tentatively, "He is no better than yesterday, Prince- I mean Thor. But he is no worse either; there is still a good chance he will pull through."

"Excellent." Thor declares. "Then if you are not otherwise engaged, I would like to speak with you privately." He steps to the side and holds out his arm towards the door to indicate that he does not expect me to decline.

I repress a sigh and pat Sage kindly on the arm. "I will see you later perhaps, thank you again for your company." Thor offers me his arm and I take it gallantly after collecting the green book Sage had given me.

"The pleasure was all mine my friend. I think I shall return again tomorrow so I may see you then." She bows her head to Thor and me as we turned away and depart the room.

The guards fall into formation behind us but I can't help but notice the way they group themselves slightly off centre towards me more than Thor.

"I see you and Saga have become close. That is good. For you to have a friend I mean." Thor say, trying his hand at small talk as we walk to into a room close by- a common room. It was an art I have noted he lacks in comparison to say, his brother.

"Yes," I answer steadily, "It's nice to talk with someone my age and gender for once. Does she always draw people to herself like that- unconsciously but almost immediately?"

Thor's laugh was more of a boom of thunder than anything else as he said, "yes, she does. I doubt there is an individual alive that hasn't already been enchanted by her, well perhaps maybe Heimdall, I am told that her own visions, the stories she creates meddle with his perception of reality."

"Huh." I utter.

"Please sit." He gestures for me to take a seat at a long circular shaped couch with a low round table in the centre. I sit and wait as he takes up a comfortable position across from me.

"What is it you wished to speak with me about?" I ask, bracing my hands either side of my lap.

Thor leans forward at gets straight to the point, "My father tells me he spoke with you some days ago. I understand that you two had an argument."

I nod though he needs no confirmation.

"Since then we have noticed you have become reserved. We have not seen you at meal times nor out wandering the halls. I have been informed that you are always with your father, correct?"

"Yes, though my whereabouts have little to do with my… heart-to-heart with the King. My father is not well and I wish to be there when he recovers. And until he does I will be there to give him some familiar company." I state.

Thor smiles genuinely, "It is very noble of you to be so dedicated to your father. It reminds me of my mother. She acts much as you have when my father is in the Odinsleep." He clasps his hands on his lap. "He is sorry you know."

I raise my eyebrows.

"My father. He's too proud to admit it but you had every right to yell at him the way you did. He was delivering bad news and you reacted the way anyone would expect. So even though he will never say it, he is sorry." Thor looks at me and I see the truth swirling in his eyes; silver, like his fathers.

I tilt my head. "I would accept his apology then however I still do not trust his words even if you do and you must forgive me as I do not think we will see eye to eye on this matter."

Thor smiles, "No that is quite alright Skadi. You are entitled to your own opinions."

I return his smile and go to stand, "Is that all you wished to speak of?"

Thor held up a hand to stop me and I returned to my seat. "No, actually, my mother has had a most glorious idea she would like you to hear out."

Something like dread settled in the bottom of my stomach. "Very well."

"She has noticed that many of the court people as well as the general public by now are aware of your presence here and much fear and suspicion has arisen since your arrival." Thor paused and rubbed one hand along his angular jaw. "She has decided that we need to quell this unrest and perhaps appease the public by openly introducing you."

"Oh," I say feeling a little surprised.

"But she wishes to do so by holding a large ball in your honour." Thor finished.

"Oh," I say feeling a little bit sick. A ball. I'd read a fair bit about them. It was an event that was ripe with socialising, dancing and flirting, none of which I was even remotely good at. "No, that's really not necessary," I say flatly, "A ball would be far too extravagant for me. You really shouldn't-"

Thor mistook my reluctance for humility. "Nonsense, it would be an honour to host one for you. Mother has already begun preparations as we speak and the invitations will go out today. At least a third of Asgard will be present."

I gulp loudly, "When? When is it?"

Thor stands, "In two days my lady. But don't worry, everything will be organised on time and you won't need to even lift a finger. It will be a marvellous celebration that will be remembered for years to come!"

I supress a groan. That's what I was afraid of. "Is this really a good idea?" I ask, "Surely no one would want to go to a ball held for an a-…. Held for me."

"That is why we are holding a ball for you Skadi." Thor replies smoothly, "My father is not deaf to the gossip that runs through these halls. He has indeed heard the many rumours and tales that have been spread since your arrival. He only wants you to feel welcome here and he believes a ball could do just that. By introducing you to everyone publicly he feels that it would show them that you have nothing to hide, that you are one of us and therefore not a threat."

I scoff, "So it's a publicity campaign then?"

Thor frowns darkly at me, "Maybe, but if my father thinks it will quell the fear then I see no harm in it and neither should you." Then he smiles broadly with a chuckle and I see two sides of this so called god, "Besides, there is no greater event in the Nine Realms than an Asgardian ball. You might even enjoy yourself if you let yourself…'warm up' to it." He lets out a roar of laughter at his own joke, his taunt shoulders shake as he does so.

I groan and put my head in my hands but the sight of Thor laughing almost at himself is too silly to comprehend and my own laughter mingles with his. I look up into his eyes and share his mirth.

"Well isn't this quaint."

Thor and I stop mid laugh and start towards the doorway. Loki's lean figure crosses the threshold with his usual strut but his eyes lack their usual mischief as he looks upon us.

I almost roll my eyes, once again annoyed by his presence but I really should have expected him to show up again sooner or later. He'd hounded me all week with his snide comments and leering looks. It was just about enough to drive me back to Jotunheim.

"Loki, I was just telling Skadi about father's plan to hold a ball in two days." Thor says and greets his brother with a mighty clap on the shoulder. "Don't you think it is an excellent idea?"

"The best." Loki replies but his sarcasm is lost on his burly sibling who grins victoriously. "I cannot wait to see how everyone reacts to Skadi. It will be wonderful to introduce Skadi to Asgard as an equal." His eyes light up with mischief but the curl of his mouth suggests a more malicious plan.

I narrow my eyes at Loki but he only winks back as if he is Fandral the Dashing.

"Indeed," Thor agrees not noticing our staring contest that neither of us wants to back down to. "And I am sure if will be a successful event and if not then at least Skadi can say she has experienced the joy and excitement of Asgardian festivities."

"Yes, well we shall see won't we?" Loki flicks his eyes away from mine and his demeanour becomes serious. "Anyway, brother, father has asked to see us both. He said he had something very important to discuss with us."

"Ah, we mustn't keep him waiting then." Thor turns back to me, "I must bid you farewell for now then dear Skadi and I ask that you keep in mind that the ball is in two days and as the guest of honour you will be expected to be present, no excuses."

I nod for there seems to be not much else I can say to change their minds, "Yes. I suppose I shall be there then."

Thor smiles and it's like the sun has come out from behind the clouds, "Then you will save a dance for me then?"

I nod almost dazed by his ability to turn the tides his way. He's so like his father in that aspect. I don't miss the look Loki shoots at his brother but I can't read it either and it's gone before I even realise it happened.

Later that night after I've fed and visited my father, I return to my chambers. Roslyn helps me out of the ties on the back of the dress I wear and I bathe until the water in the tub cools. When I get out its past sunset and the room is lit only by the glow of a few half burnt out torches. I sent Roslyn to bed earlier as I knew I could dress myself and I meant to go straight to sleep after my bath.

But after an hour of restlessly rolling around on the bed I decide that sleep won't come easy tonight and give up.

Too many thoughts play on my mind for me to relax; my father, the King, the ball, Loki… I cannot rest when too many things are keeping me alert and worried. Fear for my father, anger at the king, suspense for the ball and irritation for Loki.

I try pacing the room to clear my thoughts. But I feel the cool marble under my feet, the smell of the exotic flowers on my nightstand and warmth of Asgard's unusual climate seeping over my skin that keeps bringing me back.

Suddenly all the emotions surge to the surface and overwhelm my senses. In a fit of aggravation I lash out at the items cluttering my dressing table. Small perfume bottles and a silver brush are scattered and crash onto the floor, one of the bottles break and spew the smell of oranges and ginger and the silver brush clatters underneath the table.

I sigh and rub my face with my hands. The handle of the brush is visible beneath the table and I kneel down to recollect it. My hand curls around the hilt just as I notice the small worn satchel down beside the table between the walls. I gasp and instead reach for the bag that must have somehow fallen down the side.

I had completely forgotten I even brought it here with the weight of my father's condition pressing away all other concerns. The bag is the same as I remember it however; soft tan leather hide outer layer that is scuffed and dirtied with use while the inside has a crème fur lining that is more skin than fur now.

My heart thumps loudly as my memory brings me back to that night- or morning not so long ago when my father woke me from my sleep before rushing back out of the room. We he returned he thrust a small red box at me which I hastily stuffed into _this _bag. I forgot all about that box until now.

My fingers shake as I undo the toggle holding the bag closed and lift the flap. I peered inside apprehensively, parting the fur to see the space between.

The red box was nestled at the bottom, patiently waiting to be rediscovered. It was just as I remembered it; rectangular in shape and bright opulent ruby red with a shiny varnish. However, now, in the light of the torches around me I could see every minute detail and feature. Runes and images were carved into the box with gold crevices. Only a few of the runes I knew from memory while the rest were alien- no Asgardian. My heart dropped as I read the runes on the lid that spelt out 'Idun.' I didn't seem possible until now. It couldn't be a coincidence that my father would have a box with her name on it unless….

Tears of betrayal sprang to my eyes and I bit into my fist to keep from crying out or screaming. I stood up from my knelt position on the floor and resettled myself on my bed with the box on my lap.

Then, I let out a breath to cool my erratic emotions before opening the red box. The lid lifted with an aged creak of the hinges and I got my first glance inside. The box was lined with green velvet and held a small assortment of things. I lifted each one out slowly and placed them on the bed beside me: a brown leather bound journal, a dark bronze arrow head, a clear vile of blue liquid, a thick envelope and a shard of some kind of red gemstone on a thin gold chain.

I turn over each piece, one at a time inspecting them each. Picking up the journal I flick to a page at random but the writing inside is unfamiliar to me and I cannot decipher it. Frustrated I drop it and continue my inspection until I come to the envelope which feels thick with its contents. There is no name on the front of it but it appears to have been opened before, perhaps… by my father?

I turn it over and pull a piece of aged parchment out. I unfold it carefully and smooth it out on my lap. Unlike the journal, the note is written in clear Jotunscript and it is addressed, not to my father, but to me.

_Dearest Skadi,_

_My child, by the time you are old enough to read this I will have already been dead many years. But I feel that given my absence you have the right to know who your mother was and I hope your father has spoken well of me for I know with all of my heart I would have loved you more than life itself. In fact I already do._

_-_I have to stop reading for a second as a strangled sob escapes my lips against my will. I cup my mouth with a hand and shake my head, refusing to succumb to tears. How is it that three short sentences could evoke pain so easily? I exhale shakily and continued-

_Believe me when I say that my absence from your life today was a result of my love for you. Perhaps if things had been different, we might have known each other. But for now I must settle for writing out my love for you, who in this moment in time, has not yet been born. I am your mother, Idun and I am from the far and beautiful Realm of Asgard. In Asgard I was a Keeper of Youth, which I suppose is a fancy title for a botanist. I managed the Tree of Youth, a tree that grew golden apples and that gave long levity to the Realm in which it's roots were planted. I was by no means a warrior so it seems to be pure fate that brought me to your father and fate that gave me you. When I first met Thiazzi on Midgard, I was afraid of him. All Asgardians fear the frost giants. It was ingrained into us as children to think of them as monsters, our natural enemy. So when I found him, taking refuge in an abandoned dwelling with an Asgard's arrow embedded in his chest I 'naturally' feared for _my _life. And then the most marvellous thing happened. I saw my own fear reflected in his eyes. He was afraid of me! He was afraid of a spineless woman from Asgard who didn't even have a weapon in her hand. I knew then just how wrong I'd been. Just how brainwashed and manipulated I'd been to have ever believed us different. I think that was also the moment when I saw a brighter future, a future that I wanted my children to live in. I just never thought my future would be so aligned to Thiazzi's or that my own child would be the very centre of that future. My child, if only I could be there to show you the way to that future. I want you to see just how very important you are. I can now only hope that my death will set things in motion the way I suspect it shall. Skadi of Jotunheim and of Asgard. I see you now, the very woman you will be. Born of two worlds. You are the key. I love you forever._

"Born of two worlds. You are the key." I read again out loud, tasting the words. Idun's- my mother's letter puzzled me. Most of it felt right, the way her story fitted with all that King Odin had told me and yet, it was so cryptic. None of it made sense. What was this future she spoke of? And what was my role in it? Was any of this really true or was it all just a pretty piece of deception?

My eyes alll on the necklace on the bed and I realise then I'd seen it before. I'd seen it that day in King Odin's study. I'd seen it in a picture in a Midgardian book opened across a table. I'd seen it around the neck of Idun, goddess of youth.

I hold up the chain and let the gem catch the light as it swung back and forth slightly. The shard is a piece of ruby. The gem that promises legends and greatness. I decide then that I'm going to find out what happened to that future my mother saw.

**Author's note: Ummm, yeah. Let's just say there's a lot more that's yet to be revealed so stick around. FAVOURITE, FOLLOW, REVIEW. Thanks everyone for a whopping 1000 views so far! ALSO! So sorry for the long absence of updates as I have been on holiday and I will be till late Feb but I thought I would reward your patience by posting this- hope you guys had an awesome xmas and a happy new year! KR. **


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